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By David E. Hubler
Contributor, In Homeland Security

An explosion at two of New York’s busiest subway stations Monday morning led to a rush-hour evacuation of the stations and the Port Authority Bus Terminal, The New York Times reported.

The explosion took place at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue, in a tunnel that connects the Times Square and Port Authority stations. Police evacuated three subway lines.

One person was in custody, the Police Department said. “A senior city official who declined to be identified because of the continuing investigation said that the suspect had been wearing an explosive device strapped to his person and that the police had stripped him naked to remove it,” according to the Times.

According to initial reports, the device exploded prematurely. The alleged bomber was in serious condition at Bellevue Hospital. There were no reports of other injuries.

As a result, rush hour became a chaotic race to find alternate routes to work. Vehicles were not permitted to exit the FDR Drive from 59th Street to 42nd Street. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reported that the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R, W and 7 trains were skipping 42nd Street.

Explosion Caused Some NYC Subway Stations to Close

Subway trains were avoiding the affected area and the Port Authority Bus Terminal was shut down as authorities continue to investigate. Also, 14th, 23rd, 34th and 42nd streets were closed river to river and all Port Authority buses are being diverted to New Jersey, WNBC4-TV in New York reported.

Former NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton said he had been told the suspect was a Bangladeshi man in his mid-twenties who was wearing a device and indicated he was detonating it in the name of ISIS. “Bratton’s information, which he said came from NYPD sources, could not immediately be confirmed,” WNBC4 said.