One of New York City Transit's busiest subway lines has been suspended and another severely limited, after a fire destroyed an equipment room at a station in lower Manhattan.

Following a fire at the Chambers Street station, the C line was suspended this week and will be out of service indefinitely. The C line runs through Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

New York Metropolitan Transit Authority officials said they were also severely limiting the A line, which runs parallel to the C line for much of its route. The limitations could cause significant delays, they said. Some repairs could take years.

The fire was set in a shopping cart on the platform, igniting cables above the platform and causing millions of dollars in damage to equipment. The fire is believed to have been set intentionally and is under investigation, officials said.