Car, stuck on LIRR tracks, catches fire
A burning Honda Civic on Long Island Rail Road tracks near the Farmingdale station delayed trains Friday night after a female driver turned onto the tracks after her GPS device gave her audio instructions to do so, Nassau County police said. The car got stuck on the track, came into contact with the electrified third rail and caught fire. The woman and her passenger were able to escape the car without injuries. (March 2, 2012) Credit: Kevin Imm
A burning car on Long Island Rail Road tracks near the Farmingdale station delayed trains late Friday night and Saturday morning, officials said.
At 11:45 p.m., a woman turned her car onto the tracks, later telling police that she was following the audio instructions of her GPS device, Nassau County police said.
The Honda Civic became stuck on the tracks, ran into the electrified third rail and caught fire, according to accounts from responding officials.
Both the driver and her passenger got out of the car without injuries.
After the third rail was shut off, it took the Farmingdale Fire Department about 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze and the car was removed at 12:27 a.m.
The accident and damage to the rails limited the Ronkonkoma line to just one track, causing delays of up to 45 minutes for trains into Saturday morning, an MTA spokeswoman said.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
