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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Westchester residents scrambled to find their way into Manhattan Wednesday after an explosion near the Harlem 125th St. Metro-North Station caused service to be suspended below 233rd St.
Several residents said they heard about the explosion, which left two dead and 18 injured, through social media. Pamela Acosta, who attends the College of Westchester, said she found out about the explosion on Instagram. Phil Glorieux, of Rye, said Facebook was helpful for staying up-to-date on the latest.
A gas leak was reported to Con Edison at 9:13 a.m., and the explosion followed at 9:30 a.m., leveling two buildings just feet away from the Harlem line train tracks.
Like many Wednesday, Glorieux hopped on the train in White Plains unsure of what route he would have to take to get back to his office in mid-town Manhattan.
“It’s more important to get that situation resolved, so I don’t mind taking the subway,” he said.
Harlem Line service is suspended between Grand Central and Woodlawn Station. Commuters traveling north should take the No. 5 Subway to the 180th Street Station and transfer to the No. 2 Subway to 233rd Street Station for Woodlawn.
Southbound commuters should take the train to the Wakefield Station and transfer to the No. 2 Subway. Limited local train service will be provided between Wakefield and Fordham Stations.
NYC Transit will cross honor Metro-North tickets at those nearby subway stations
Pedro Irizarry had already made the commute from Manhattan to White Plains to go to Presbyterian Hospital Wednesday morning after the explosion. Frantically recalling his commute, he said he took the 1 Train up to Woodlawn, then the 60 bus to 233rd St. and then the Metro-North to White Plains. He said it took him two hours.
Adam Blaier, a student at Pace Law School in White Plains, takes a 7 a.m. train from Midtown to White Plains ever morning. He said he was working on alternative ways to get back into the city.
"I am in class until 3:20, if the trains are suspended and not running to Grand Central, I'm going to call my sister to drive up from Midtown to come get me. Hopefully she can. If there are trains going to Harlem, I will have to take the subway to Columbus Circle.
"I have a projected three hour commute home instead of my normal hour or so."
Billie and Kevin Conant debated whether to avoid the train and just drive to Brooklyn from White Plains since the Maine couple is unfamiliar with the Metro-North transit systems.
They are visiting for the week and were on their way to a show in Brooklyn when they heard the news. They are staying in Greenwich, but decided to leave out of White Plains because they planned to take the express train.
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