MTA Files Notice Against City for May's Huge Metro-North Viaduct Fire in East Harlem

EAST HARLEM, NY — The MTA has taken the first step toward legal action against the city for negligence that led to a massive fire under the Park Avenue Viaduct in May.

On Wednesday, the agency filed a notice of claim citing the city and the Economic Development Corporation showed “carelessness, recklessness and negligence” for letting a garden supply company store flammable materials underneath the viaduct. At the time of the fire, officials said the four-alarm blaze started when fuel spilled onto a hot generator, resulting in a fire hot enough to shear bolts off of the bridge.

According to a July 2016 Metro-North Railroad Committee report, the fire resulted in a loss of 275,000 riders and $2.4 million in revenue for the MTA. The report also claimed that the fire was responsible for the MTA missing reliability goals and resulted in 58 submitted complaints to the agency.

A message left with an MTA spokesman was not immediately returned.

While the MTA's filing of a notice of claim does not currently represent legal action action it is often the first step in the process of putting together a lawsuit against the city.

"The City will review the notice of claim," said a statement sent to Patch from a city Law Department spokesman.

[Photo: MTA via Flickr]