Service was suspended on four Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) branches for hours during Friday's rush hour after dangerous materials fell on the tracks.

LIRR officials say that Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) transmission cables dropped onto the tracks, which made it necessary to shut down the third rail. Approximately 30,000 commuters on the Babylon, Far Rockaway, West Hempstead and Long Beach routes were stuck on trains and station platforms for more than three hours. Six trains were stuck between stations while the third rail was powered off. While buses eventually took some commuters to other stations, many passengers complain the effort was too little, too late.

LIPA workers cleared the cables by 10 p.m. LIRR officials say the third rail could have been powered up sooner. Unfortunately, they say, some impatient commuters jumped out of the trains onto the tracks and created a separate safety concern.