Track Fire At 59th Street and Lexington Avenue Disrupts N/Q/R Service

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A track fire broke out at the Lexington Avenue and 59th Street subway station Friday afternoon, affecting N, Q and R trains in Manhattan and Queens.

The MTA confirmed that a fire broke out on the tracks before 2 p.m. and that service changes were enacted around 1:50 a.m. One subway passenger standing on the platform witnessed the fire break out and posted a video of the blaze to Twitter. The fire appears to originate from the electrified third rail.

"So ummmm the track is on fire at 59th and Lexington," the passenger said on Twitter.

While the FDNY operated on the scene of the fire, N trains were shut down between Times Square and Queensboro Plaza, according to the MTA. Queens-bound R trains bypassed Lexington Avenue and 59th Street via the F line.

The MTA suggested that passengers trying to get to Queensboro Plaza should take the 7 train and then switch to an N or W train to continue into Astoria.

This story will be updated

Photo by Patch