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Metro-North Railroad Reeling After Harlem Explosion

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Metro-North service remains suspended into and out of Grand Central Station Wednesday afternoon after a building exploded in Harlem, feet from train tracks.

Photo Credit: FDNY Twitter

An explosion, reportedly the result of a gas leak, has left two residents dead, 18 injured and leveled two buildings. According to Metro-North officials, alternate service in and out of the city is being provided through subways and Bronx Metro-North stations.

A Tweet by Con Edison said crews were responding to a reported gas leak shortly before the explosion at approximately 9:40 a.m.

As of noon, Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan said the trains would be out indefinitely as fire and police officials try to sort out what led to the Wednesday morning explosion, which spread debris across tracks.

All trains were sent to the nearest Metro-North stations before they were grounded.

Mike Marino, a Long Island resident who was traveling south on the Hudson Line, when trains were halted, was re-routed to the Marble Hill station where he was forced to seek an alternate way home.

“I’m never on Metro-North, and literally the one day I take it, I get held at Marble Hill indefinitely,” he said. “We had no idea what was going on, my friends told me on Facebook.”

For northbound service on the Hudson Line, commuters can take the 4 subway to 161st Street to gain access to the Yankees East 153rd Street station. Southbound commuters can transfer to the 4 subway from the 153rd Street station.

On the Hudson line, service remains suspended between Grand Central and Woodlawn. To go north, commuters can take the 5 subway to 180th Street, with a transfer to the 2 subway to 233rd Street. Southbound commuters can transfer to the 2 subway at Wakefield Station. There will be limited train service between Wakefield and Fordham.

Riders looking to travel east on the New Haven line can also take the 5 subway with a transfer to the 2 subway. Westbound train service will operate as far as Woodlawn Station, where commuters can take the 2 subway.

Commuters working in the city remained anxious about the ride home on Wednesday.

“It’s going to get hectic when it’s time to head north, the trains are going to be jam-packed with everyone bottle necking onto the same trains trying to get home,” Yonkers resident William Kiss said. “This might be one of those days to sneak out of the office early to make sure I get home at a decent hour.”

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