New York City subway train derails, 34 injured

A New York City subway train derailed in upper Manhattan on Tuesday, and 34 people suffered minor injuries, New York City Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.

All passengers on the train were evacuated and authorities were investigating the incident in Manhattan's Harlem section, officials said.

Witnesses on the train posted photos on social media that showed darkened, smoky carriages and damage to the floor and a door of the train.

"One lady began having a panic attack, and most people had to use their shirts to not breathe in the smoke (from the accident). Some people are crying," one passenger, Benjamin Williams, wrote on Twitter before being evacuated.

Service was suspended or rerouted on several subway lines running between upper Manhattan and northern Brooklyn following the accident, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said, adding that the agency's top officials were en route to the scene.

Fire Department Commissioner Nigro gave reporters details on the injuries at the scene.

New York City's subway system, which carries 5.7 million riders on a typical weekday, has come under increasing criticism in recent months for extensive delays and infrastructure in poor condition.

(Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Taylor Harris)