A "modest smoke condition" at the 9th Street PATH station in Manhattan, caused by a train coming into contact with an open umbrella on the track, lead to a third rail outage Monday morning and frantic concern among commuters, according to the PATH verified Twitter account and witness social media accounts.
Exhaust fans were working to clear the smoke from the station after the rush-hour frenzy, according to PATH.
Some people reported the station had been evacuated, but the PATH did not confirm that. Meanwhile, some Twitter users described mass chaos -- with people running from the station and the echoes of loud booms in the area.
Lingering delays were reported, but service was never shut down.
