India, May 14 -- Long Island Rail Road commuters faced widespread delays, cancellations and reroutes Thursday morning after a fire in the East River Tunnel triggered heavy smoke conditions near Penn Station, according to transit officials. The incident prompted major service disruptions across several LIRR branches, with trains either diverted to Grand Central Terminal or terminated early at Jamaica.

The fire was reported shortly after 11 AM local time inside tube No 4 of the East River Tunnel connecting Manhattan and Queens, sources told the New York Daily News. FDNY officials later confirmed crews were responding to a feeder cable fire with extension into a wall near Penn Station just before 11:30 AM.

Smoke conditions were reported on...