The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-15
SUBWAY CAR TWICE AFIRE
TRAIN STOPS IN BROOKLYN TUN-
MEL, AGAIN AT 1O3D STREET.

At h Latter Point the Power Was Cut
on n Passengers Scrambled In h
Dark. s0me NJ Then Through the
windows Into station Platform Jam.
Passengers on q Dyckman street sub
way express train which left Atlantic
avenue. Brooklyn. yesterday afternoon
at 5:2s had all the excitement they wanted
all the way to 10sd street and Broadway,
where they were detrained because the
fifth car OF the train was afre for the
second time.
The eight car train wal under the guild
anoe OF Motorman Benjamin Shaugh-
nesssy when it pulled out Of Atlantic
avenue. Just before it reached Borough
Hall smoke began coming from under
the seats in the fifth car. The passen-
gers were moved into other cars and two
INSPECTORS were set to work behind the
looked doors Of the fifth car to find the
trouble. They found there had been a
short circuit-of the lighting wires under
the seats and went to work on it while
the train was going through the tunnel.
Just as the train neared the Manhattan
side OF the tunnel there was a bang from
the fifth car. Passengers in the W
adjoining cars made for the doors 10
see what was wrong. The train was
brought to a standstill and two conduc-
tors went into the car with hand extin-
guishers and put out a fire under the seats
The train was started again and nothing
more happened until 1t approached the
Ninety sixth street express stop. Then
James l.. Cunningham Of 18th street and
Broadway. a new passenger, spoke to
the guard >on the rear platform OF car 4
and told him there was a fire In cars which
the two inspectors had left. The guard.
according to Mr., Cunningham. made no
reply and the train was not delayed at
Ninety sixth street.
1t had gone q short distance from the
Ninety-sixth street station when there
was another bang and a cloud OF smoke
came up between cars s and O., Women
in car @ screamed and ran 10 the doors,
where they were stopped by guards.
The train ran on to the 10Sd street
station and stopped. The fifth car APP
peared to be pretty well afire by this
time and smoke and flames were coming
up between it and the two adjoining cars.
Men and women in cars 4 and Q crowded
to the platforms nearest car s. They
we're told by guards that they could not
get OF through those gates. Just at
this time the power between Ninety
sixth street and l1sth street was ordered
shut on by the ticket agent on duty at
losd street. This left the entire train and
that ssetloa OF ths-aabway-ias darkness.
A soon as the lights we're shut on the
passengers 10 all the cars became badly
frightened and made for doors. The
subway was completely choked by smoke
and women were crying out that they
were smothering. Some Of the men on
the platforms next to car s took matters
into their own hands and broke h sid
doors open. Before this wns done. how.
ever, both men and women had begun
scrambling through the car windows in
the dark.
The smoke drifted through a grating
above UP to Broadway. and this brought
down Policemen Bremen and Rafleld.
The two policemen arrived in the dark
nees and confusion below just in time to
be aware that there we're a lot OF people
climbing through windows and doing a
lot Of shouting for help. The policemen
got hold OF a couple Of lanterns, made
the passengers getting OF form line and
herded them up the stairway as fast as
they could get of the train. There wa
a southbound train In the 1o3d street sta
ton at the same time. and the passengers
on It became excited when the lights went
OF. The guards at first refused to let
messengers of, but when a number OF
men insisted the gates were opened.
and most OF those on the train got of.
When the northbound train was emptied
Of passengers 1t was at once entered by
trainmen with axes and e~Itinguishers.
and the fire was soon put out. 1t was
-A--- - a. IL.