NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Seventeen people were treated for smoke inhalation as smoke filled a subway station in Upper Manhattan on Tuesday after track debris hit the third rail, police and fire officials said.
The "smoke condition" overtook the 191st Street station on the 1 line in Washington Heights around 12:50 p.m., according to the NYPD.
Citizen App video shows a haze of brown smoke pouring out of the station's entrance as about 60 FDNY members responded to the scene.
Dozens of FDNY members responded to the scene.Citizen App
The 17 people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, the FDNY said. None of the injuries were considered serious.
FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Woods said the smoke was caused by a 1 train hitting an object on the track. That object then made contact with the electrified third rail, causing the smoke condition but not fire.
Woods said the station's depth made the operation more complex for firefighters. The station is the deepest in the city at 173 feet below ground.
The incident caused some damage to the tracks and to the third rail. The MTA will determine the extent of the damage and how to go about repairs.
The incident caused delays on the 1 line in both directions.
