MTA Worker Burned by Spark from Passing Train at Canal Street Station

An MTA track worker, 42 years old, was taken to the hospital with burns to the lower half of her body following an incident on Friday evening at the Canal Street station in Lower Manhattan, which serves the R and W lines. According to ABC7, the worker was photographing a chair that had been left on the R/W track, creating a smoke condition that required attention. While she was in the track bed, a train traveling in the opposite direction on adjacent tracks passed and emitted a spark that struck her below the waist. She was transported to the hospital and was reported to be in stable condition. The incident occurred during regular evening service hours and did not cause a major service disruption. The MTA confirmed the incident and said it would review the circumstances. Track workers routinely access the track bed for maintenance, inspections, and to address hazards such as debris, but the incident highlighted the ever-present dangers that MTA employees face while working in and around active train corridors, even on tracks adjacent to the one being serviced.