Tragedy struck early Friday morning after a New York City subway driver was killed in a fire on a train. Nine other people were injured in the incident, which is currently being investigated as a crime.
However, no arrests have been made.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m., just as the train arrived at a station in Harlem near Central Park. Shortly after the train came to a stop, a Transit worker noticed smoke and fire on one of the subway cars.
As the fire spread, the subway driver worked with another transit employee to help passengers to safety. The driver’s body was later found on the tracks, according to police. The 36-year-old was then taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“We are investigating it as a criminal matter,” Deputy Chief Brian McGee said.
According to AP News, the death of the motorman comes just one day after two other Transit employees died from complications of the coronavirus.
“This is another horrific moment for our family,” interim president of New York City Transit Sarah Feinberg said. “We are devastated by this.”
Three other fires were also reported in nearby stations at the same time, with one at 86th street, 96th street, and 116th street.
