A fire broke out beneath a PATH train car at the Newport station during the Monday morning rush hour, forcing a chaotic evacuation of passengers and leading to multiple hospitalizations for smoke inhalation, as reported [1] by The Daily Mail.
The incident occurred shortly after 6 a.m., according to Port Authority officials. Flames and smoke emerged from beneath one of the train cars, prompting an immediate emergency response.
The fire caused panic among commuters and disrupted service on key PATH lines for several hours.
Emergency responders treated at least 13 individuals on-site for smoke inhalation. Nine of those were subsequently transported to area hospitals for further evaluation, authorities said.
Jersey City NJ Working fire in the NJ Path train station. Reports of train passenger car on fire. Multiple patients #BREAKING [2] #breakingnews [3] @ABC7NY [4] @JerseyCityTimes [5] pic.twitter.com/vFJ19vfkrb [6]
— FF Shifflett (@ffshifflett) August 4, 2025 [7]
Footage from the scene captured the intensity of the situation, as passengers inside the train shouted for the carriage doors to be opened while smoke poured in.
Some passengers attempted to calm one another as flames became visible through the train windows and licked the edge of the platform.
One witness described the urgency of the evacuation, saying, “This was not just smoke. The car was literally in flames.”
The incident resulted in the suspension of PATH service between Midtown Manhattan and Jersey City, and between the World Trade Center and Hoboken. Service was fully restored by 11 a.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced it will investigate the cause of the fire. No further details have been released regarding the condition of those hospitalized or the source of the flames.
The Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) system is a critical transit link between northern New Jersey and Manhattan, carrying an estimated 165,000 passengers daily.
Monday’s fire significantly impacted morning commutes and raised questions about infrastructure safety and emergency response preparedness.
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey
A fire broke out under a PATH commuter train on Monday morning in Jersey City, N.J., sending passengers to the hospital and causing panic during rush hour as people raced to escape flames and smoke.
The fire began shortly after 6 a.m. at the Newport… pic.twitter.com/qMtTedEJQD [8]
— ZetaTalk Followers: Watch X, Planet X, aka Nibiru (@ZT_Followers) August 4, 2025 [9]
Officials have not confirmed whether the affected train car had any prior maintenance issues. As of now, no criminal activity is suspected.
The Newport station, located in Jersey City’s waterfront area, is a major hub for commuters traveling between New Jersey and New York City.