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Frantic Atlantic: Straphangers sent scrambling after ceiling collapse in Terminal

Frantic Atlantic: Straphangers sent scrambling after ceiling collapse in Terminal
Photo by Colin Mixson

Talk about a train wreck.

Debris plummeted from above inside Atlantic Terminal station on Friday morning, forcing Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials to suspend 4- and 5-train service in both directions, and leaving irate straphangers scrambling to find alternative commutes.

“It’s ridiculous, we have billions of dollars for this, there should be no reason this is happening, and now I’m going to be late for my appointment today, so that’s a problem,” said Mariah Carrasquillo, who lives in Bushwick.

Transit employees manned all entrances to the platform following the ceiling collapse just after 8 am, according to an authority spokesman, barring riders’ entry as other workers collected fallen bits of plaster and swept the ceiling with a broom.

The agency restored 4- and 5-train service in the station roughly three hours later, and its inspectors are investigating what caused the bits to fall, the rep said.

“Out of an abundance of caution we are checking the entire station,” said Shams Tarek. “We thank our personnel for their quick response and our customers for their patience while we address this.”

The collapse at the hub on the border of Fort Greene and Prospect Heights — which followed two similar incidents at Downtown’s Borough Hall station this summer — had one recent arrival to the borough, who said the plummeting plaster would make him late for an acting job, second-guessing his decision to move to the city from faraway Florida.

“I’ve only been living in New York for a month and a half, and I thought it would be easier than this,” said Marcus Nieves. “It’s always one thing or another with the subways. I’m going to be late for my gig, I’m an actor, and they don’t tolerate lateness.”

And although the cave-in ruined countless morning commutes, it somehow failed to surprise most straphangers, according to a commuter, who called the collapse par for the course for the beleaguered transit system.

“It’s not surprising at all,” said Jon Litt, a Greenpoint resident who works in Crown Heights. “These tunnels are falling apart.”

Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4505.
Pile of shame: A pile of debris rests on the 4 and 5 train platforms.
Photo by Colin Mixson