R train track fire causes commuting woes

R train riders were burning up over a small fire on the tracksthat delayed train service for half an hour, causing lingeringdelays on the morning of August 31.

The fire started at 9:52 a.m. between the 59th Street and Bay RidgeAvenue stations, according to MTA spokesperson Deirdre Parker, whosaid the cause was debris on the [track.]

The Fire Department responded to the call as trains were reroutedor held at the station by the rail control center.

Most of these [fires] are very small occurrences, Parkerexplained. Once the Fire Department gets on the scene, they takethe lead and then we respond with whatever they say is necessary todo.

But although the MTA may have been following necessary protocol,some straphangers were still frustrated. A few minutes after thedelay started, one commuter began screaming at a train conductor atthe 36th Street station.

You don’t care about whether we get to work on time, sheshrieked.