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Man Electrocuted on Third Rail in Times Square Station, Cops Say

By  Victoria Bekiempis and Aidan Gardiner | April 12, 2013 8:18am | Updated on April 12, 2013 10:08am

 A man died after falling into the trackbed of the Times Square subway station, FDNY said.
A man died after falling into the trackbed of the Times Square subway station, FDNY said.
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DNAinfo/Victoria Bekiempis

TIMES SQUARE — A man was electrocuted on the third rail at the Times Square Station at the height of rush hour Friday morning, an NYPD spokesman said.

The victim touched the highly-charged third rail in the trackbed of the northbound express trains and was electrocuted about 6:55 a.m., police and FDNY spokesmen said.

Police said the victim, believed to be in his 30s, committed suicide and do not suspect a crime was committed.

An MTA official in the station said witnesses told him that the victim's head and hand came in contact with the charged rail. Some straphangers rushed to the ledge to help him, he said, but backed off when they saw "sparks."

Northbound 2 and 3 trains had been running local between 14th Street and 72nd Street. Service was restored a short time later, according to the MTA's website.

Meanwhile, the MTA said nearly every subway line will be affected this weekend because of maintenance work.