A small track fire at the Union Square subway station filled the transit hub with dense clouds of smoke early Tuesday, as it briefly snarled the morning commute, officials said.
The fire broke out on the third rail within the uptown No. 4/5/6 line shortly before 6:45 a.m., causing a loud boom, according to officials and a series of tweets posted by the NYPD’s Transit unit.
“After reports of the sound of an explosion at 14th St-Union Square station, we’ve confirmed there was an electrical issue and are investigating further,” one of the tweets reads. “A smoke condition is clearing after a small 3rd rail fire was extinguished.”
An MTA worker told the Post the station was briefly evacuated as FDNY personnel treated the flames.
“The fire department came down, went into the tunnel then found it and then set it off,” said 54-year-old transit worker Pascual Quiles.
Quiles added that the heavy smoke was likely caused by grease on the tracks.
“Whatever caught on fire was near grease and it made heavy smoke,” he said. “Some [passengers] were angry. A lot were just worried because it was all smoke in here.”
Zahir Siddi, who owns a bodega in Union Square, said he saw commuters rushing from the station.
“People were run, run, run!” the 53-year-old recalled. “I asked people what happened and they said fire and I saw all the smoke.”
Straphangers said they could barely see.
“@NYCTSubway 14th St Union Square Station is smoky on the R/W track/side. Thought I saw a spark or something on the tracks? Visibility is low,” tweeted Hannah Oros.
And user @jillato_ posted a video from inside the station, along with the sarcastic caption: “Just another day on the MTA”
The incident was cleared in under an hour, an FDNY spokesman said. Several train lines were initially suspended, or bypassed the station, but has since resumed with details, according to tweets from the New York City Transit Authority.
It wasn’t immediately clear on which line the fire broke out.