Fire on an E Train

Add "setting fire to clothes" to the list of warnings subway riders should be warned of when they ride the trains: A 13-year old girl suffered burns when her jeans caught fire. She was riding a Queens-bound E train in the middle of the day, and subway workers suspect the fringe from the jeans got caught on the heater beneath the seat. A work told NY1, "The seat had to be extra hot from the train. You could look at her pants and see that any heat and any type of flame could get to the strands on the pants and catch fire." Firefighters came to the next station to put the fire out, and the girl was treated for minor burns. The train was taken out of service, and somewhere, there's a liar liar joke in this, but since it's a serious story, we won't find it.

Soot does not seem to be a factor in the Straphangers' Subway Shmutz survey. But even on a gross C train you should stop, drop and roll if your clothes catch fire.

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By Jen Chung in News on March 23, 2004 11:24 AM

Comments [rss]

Kojak

I like the J/M/Z, it takes me by Peter Lugers =) . . . But What about the 7?? Wheres the Love?

ShinGo

Maybe she was wearing Hot Pants...

Marc

Jen, you too?

I am especially fascinated by its history as part of the Bridge Loop.

One of these days, I have to find a free afternoon and ride it out to the end of the line in Queens and back, to see what there is to see.

Jen

Marc, I don't think you're the only one who feels that way about the J/M/Z - loving it's because it's so random.

Marc

Really?

They're replacing trains on the J/M/Z?

That line is so grungy, I was beginning to think it was deliberate, a matter of policy. I love it though. I think it's inexplicably become my favorite line in the city.

mike c

Alas, we'll likely being riding the old R32's for about the next decade. They might be the oldest but they are some of the most reliable (despite setting fire to pants). There are a ton of R160's on order (based on the L train's R143) and they will replace the R40 and R42 clunkers that are running on the J/M/Z

Kojak

Probably. The stuff kids wear these days...It might have been cordouroy. If you rub your Knees Together wearing cordouroy pants, you'll easily catch on fire.

Why havent they started replacing the E Trains? They must be the oldest big trains in NY. I see them on the L Line but none so far on the E. This fire should be a wake up call to the MTA.