via Kat/Flickr
Heavy smoke filled a Washington D.C. Metro rail tunnel on Monday, leaving one woman dead and 84 others hospitalized, 2 of which are said to be in critical condition. The mysterious smoke began filling the train’s cars right after it had departed into the tunnel between L’Enfant Plaza and the Pentagon.
Authorities say that the train’s driver was unable to back up to the last station, leaving some passengers stranded in the cars for about 30-40 mins. Others however, made a break for it. Third rail electricity systems were shut down so that those brave enough could evacuate the cars, trek several hundred feet towards the nearest vent shaft, and scale a 4-story staircase in order to reach ground level. Those stuck in the cars were assisted in evacuating when the Fire Department arrived.
FBI agents with the National Capital Response Squad investigated the scene but found nothing to suggest that the incident was caused by anything other than mechanical or electrical issues.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s initial suspicions are that an electrical “arcing event” may have been the cause of the smoke. The agency’s investigator in charge, Michael Flanigon, explained in a press conference Monday that this occurs when electricity jumps from a third rail to another source. He said that although it wasn’t yet clear what the other source may have been in this case, he says that there was water in the tunnel which was definitely a possibility.
Mayor Bowser checked in on some of the hospitalized passengers on Monday night at George Washington University Hospital.
“We are all saddened by today’s fatality aboard the Metrorail, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the passenger who passed away,” the mayor said in a statement. “I want to thank our brave first responders who assisted passengers during the evacuation and with treatment at the scene.”