Grand Central Terminal power outage rattles commuters; five MTA workers trapped in elevator

Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan experienced a brief power outage Thursday night, plunging the transit hub into darkness for about 49 minutes and trapping five MTA workers in an elevator. The outage began around 8:28 p.m. and power was restored to the upper level by 8:53 p.m. and to the lower level by 9:17 p.m., the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said. The issue did not affect train service, according to the MTA, and Grand Central Madison, the newer extension to the complex, did not lose power.

Grand Central Terminal’s upper and lower levels were affected by a drop in voltage to the feeder network, MTA Communications Director Tim Minton said. “Grand Central Terminal experienced a drop in voltage to the feeder network that resulted in lights going out in portions of the facility,” he said. “No train service was interrupted.” Power restorations followed for both levels within minutes of the outage, and the agency said there were no reported injuries.

Five Metro North railroad employees were trapped in an elevator that was mid-lift when the lights failed, requiring a rescue by the FDNY, the Bravest and the MTA confirmed. In the immediate moments after the blackout, witnesses described a sudden shift from routine to remarkable darkness as commuters relied on cellphone lights to navigate the vast concourses. A traveler described the scene as “totally dark,” with staff frantically aiding passengers and directing them away from tracks.

The outage left a wide swath of Grand Central in near-total darkness, punctuated only by the glow of smartphone screens and emergency lighting. Footage shared on social media showed crowds moving through dim corridors, with some diners continuing meals as the restaurant spaces adapted to the situation. The outage paused activity in several retail spaces and raised concerns about safety and crowd management in a major transit hub that handles hundreds of thousands of people every day.

Despite the disruption, the MTA said no service was suspended and there were no injuries reported. The authority said it is cooperating with Con Edison to determine the cause of the voltage drop and to assess any broader implications for the city’s energy grid.

Travel and Leisure has noted that Grand Central Terminal processes more than 750,000 people daily, underscoring the scale of the impact when outages occur in the heart of New York City’s transportation network. In a city increasingly focused on resilience amid a changing climate, officials stressed the importance of reliable power for critical infrastructure such as transit hubs and the potential cascading effects on commuters and local businesses when outages strike.

Con Edison said it would review data from the incident in coordination with the MTA to identify the root cause and any vulnerabilities in the feeder network or related equipment. Tim Minton emphasized that the outage appears to be limited to the facility and did not affect train services, but the episode nonetheless prompted a review of contingency procedures for emergency response and crowd control in one of the city’s busiest transit nodes.

The event occurred at a moment when energy infrastructure is under renewed scrutiny as cities confront aging grids and the risk of outages during periods of peak demand and extreme weather. While this incident did not disrupt service, it serves as a reminder of the vital importance of maintaining resilient power supplies for mass transit systems that support millions of daily travelers and connect neighborhoods across the region.

As Con Edison and the MTA continue their investigation, authorities have urged patience from the public and noted that the system’s quick restoration limited potential hazards. Riders were advised to monitor MTA updates for any future advisories, and officials reaffirmed that there were no injuries reported and that normal operations resumed following the outage.