Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP / Getty Images
A power outage at Grand Central Terminal in New York City on Thursday night left parts of the iconic station in darkness. The outage, caused by a voltage drop to the feeder network, began at 8:28 p.m. and affected both the upper and lower levels of the terminal. However, train services remained unaffected, and operations at Grand Central Madison continued smoothly.
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), power was restored to the upper level by 8:53 p.m. and to the lower level by 9:17 p.m. During the outage, five Metro-North Railroad employees were briefly trapped in elevators, but emergency generators and firefighters ensured their safe evacuation. No injuries were reported.
The MTA is collaborating with Con Edison to investigate the cause of the outage. Despite the temporary disruption, the incident did not impact subway, Metro-North, or Long Island Rail Road services. MTA Communications Director Tim Minton confirmed that "no train service was interrupted."
The power outage caused some confusion among commuters, with witnesses describing a momentary panic as the lights went out. However, many New Yorkers took the situation in stride, using their cellphones to navigate the darkened halls. As reported by the New York Post, some diners at the Grand Central Oyster Bar continued their meals unfazed, showcasing the resilience typical of the city’s residents.
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