On Thursday night, Grand Central Terminal encountered a short-lived blackout that left several MTA employees stranded in an elevator while thousands of others found their way in the expansive terminal using the illumination from their smartphones.
The power outage affected both the upper and lower levels of the iconic midtown Manhattan station at approximately 8:28 p.m. and lasted until 9:17 p.m., as reported by the MTA.
However, Grand Central Madison — the sprawling 700,000-square-foot addition to the historic terminal — remained unaffected by the power failure.
According to MTA Communications Director Tim Minton, “The terminal experienced a voltage drop in the feeder network, which caused lights in some areas to turn off.” He added, “Train services continued without interruption.”
Minton explained, “Power was restored to the upper level at 8:53 p.m. and to the lower level by 9:17 p.m. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.”
In a twist of fate, five Metro North railroad employees found themselves stuck in an elevator mid-ascend when the blackout occurred, necessitating a response from the FDNY, as confirmed by both the Bravest and the MTA.
Witnesses recounted a moment of mild panic sweeping through the 33,000-square-foot terminal as darkness descended.
Stacy Orea, an 18-year-old worker at Tartinery, described the scene to The Post, saying, “The lights went out suddenly, and everyone started screaming; people looked like tiny ants rushing out of the tracks.”
Orea further recounted that police officers were directing people away from the tracks, urging them to head upstairs to the Metro-North platforms.
Another employee at Luke’s Lobster reported that the sudden loss of power led to panic as restaurant equipment failed to operate.
“It was dark and unsettling, and then all the electronics in the restaurant shut off,” Kenny Peterson, 23, told The Post.
Peterson expressed the chaos of the situation, saying, “It was just pandemonium. It was genuinely frightening. My coworkers were crouching because we didn’t know what was happening.”
Some patrons trying to enjoy meals at upscale restaurants experienced interruptions due to the outage but maintained an air of nonchalance characteristic of New Yorkers.
Terry Hofler, a retired theater instructor dining at Grand Central Oyster Bar, remarked, “Suddenly, the lights went off, and it was fabulous. No one even reacted. It was a quintessential New York moment.”
Her husband, Marvin Ander, added, “People simply continued their meals. The restaurant had some backup lighting, and everyone just used their phones as torches while finishing dinner and chatting.”
Videos posted on X showed the flicker of cellphones illuminating the otherwise dark expanse as surprised commuters maneuvered through the terminal.
Another traveler noted on social media that the terminal was “completely dark” except for MTA staff rushing about with flashlights.
Daily, Grand Central Station accommodates more than 750,000 visitors, according to Travel and Leisure.
The MTA is collaborating with Con Edison to investigate the cause of the outage.
Additional reporting by Joe Marino
