One dead after smoke fills DC Metro Tunnel

One woman is dead and dozens of other people were hospitalized, three in critical condition, after the upper level of the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in southeast D.C. filled with smoke Monday afternoon.

One Virginia-bound Yellow Line train was in the tunnel just south of the station when the smoke was reported about 3:20 p.m., according to Metro.

The Metropolitan Police Department will take the lead in the death investigation, Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles said.

Officials do not yet know the cause of the fire. Metro described it as a tunnel issue, not a train issue, and said there is damage to the tunnel that will require repairs about 150 feet south of L'Enfant Plaza station.

One dead after smoke fills DC Metro Tunnel

I hope this is just old mechanics and nothing more serious than that. Though the timing of this.... Between Paris, the tunnel having a French name, and the Twitter hacking, hell, you never know. I refuse to go there until it's confirmed though. For now, as far as I'm concerned, it's mechanical until proven otherwise.

a reply to: Anyafaj

I fear this is more than a mechanical issue, thoughts and prayers to those effected by this.

That being said, given the accelerated amount of events going on I think that it is safe to say the pawns are being moved around the chessboard and inevitably we shall begin to see knights, rooks, and bishops coming to play!

originally posted by: elementalgrove
a reply to: Anyafaj

With the way things are going, it is safe to say this is going to be a year to remember!

Pawns are being moved around the chessboard and inevtably we shall begin to see knights, rooks, and bishops coming to play!

I'll tell you, it's enough to make you shake your head and find the nearest bunker. Let those who decide to stay above ground sort it out, and when the rumbling stops and the smoke clears, then and only then decide to poke your head out. Gah!

Just reading some peoples accounts and seeing this video -- pretty frightening scenario.

Passenger tweets -
twitchy.com...

This is a tweet from the DC fire/EMS.

Metro Box Alarm Update: 84pts. transported to area hospitals with various injuries. Over 200 people evaluated.1 firefighter injured.
6:45 PM - 12 Jan 2015

I pulled if off of CNN's website:
www.cnn.com...
Pretty bad timing if it is an accident.
Makes one wonder.

originally posted by: Darkblade71
This is a tweet from the DC fire/EMS.

Metro Box Alarm Update: 84pts. transported to area hospitals with various injuries. Over 200 people evaluated.1 firefighter injured.
6:45 PM - 12 Jan 2015

I pulled if off of CNN's website:
www.cnn.com...

There were so many people with smoke inhalation and chest problems that they literally had to be transported by BUS! There weren't enough ambulances for them all. I know some of you aren't fond of Daily Mail, but the pictures thy posted are quite insane! They had people being led away by firefighters one by one, single file, to a bus to go to the hospital. It was as many as 20 or so people that had to go at once! If there saying 200 went to the hospital, you can bet they had many buses going back and forth to transport these people. On top of that, they were trapped in that smoke for 40 minutes MINIMUM! And most were reporting it was chaos with those in charge having their heads up their bum and not knowing what to do, or what was going on. No exit plan, no emergency plan, nothing. That alone is scary!

a reply to: Anyafaj

Yeah..can there be this many coincidences?

Another link:

www.washingtonpost.com... 

a reply to: Anyafaj

Looking at that video it is quite scary indeed.

My question is if anyone has reported what the smoke smelled like?

This is of the utmost importance in figuring out if this was simply mechanical or something that will be changing things for the worse...

I.E. the dreaded TSA everywhere!

a reply to: elementalgrove

It was pretty sooty whatever it was.
On the CNN link is a video of a guy talking about getting covered in it and not knowing what it was.

originally posted by: elementalgrove
a reply to: Anyafaj

Looking at that video it is quite scary indeed.

My question is if anyone has reported what the smoke smelled like?

This is of the utmost importance in figuring out if this was simply mechanical or something that will be changing things for the worse...

I.E. the dreaded TSA everywhere!

One thing I noticed in the original article, and curious if anyone else noticed, the lead investigator retires this week. Convenient????



Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles

The Metropolitan Police Department will take the lead in the death investigation, Sarles said. Metro GM Sarles retires Friday.

(The original article made slight mention of smell. Here.

Some described the smell in the tunnel as "burnt fiberglass," which is what the cover of the third rail is made out of.

)

Can we at least wait until more of the story is reported before dire posts assuming terrorism?

Constant doom mongering at every opportunity only benefits terrorists.

Where did I say it was terrorism? I said I assume it is mechanical until otherwise proven, did I not?

I hope this is just old mechanics and nothing more serious than that. Though the timing of this.... Between Paris, the tunnel having a French name, and the Twitter hacking, hell, you never know. I refuse to go there until it's confirmed though. For now, as far as I'm concerned, it's mechanical until proven otherwise.

I even posted content from an external site pointing to possible problems other than terrorism.

Some described the smell in the tunnel as "burnt fiberglass," which is what the cover of the third rail is made out of.

If you wish to go down the doom porn road, we can certainly go there. Yes, I joked about the bunker.

Burn me at the stake! How dare I!

a reply to: DelMarvel

Could very easily of been a cardboard fire and people are jumpy.
I personally am not assuming anything yet.

a reply to: Anyafaj


That is quite interesting indeed about him retiring! We shall see as this all unfolds!

a reply to: DelMarvel

I am guessing that was more geared towards me and what can I say Del, it is a dire situation in the world, a world in which I do not believe in coincidence.

Perhaps you are correct, after Anyafaj pointed out that it was reported to be a fiberglass smell, I have found hope that it is a little bit of that mythical coincidence! We shall see

You guys can flame me all you want, but here is the Daily Mail's take on it with more pictures.

L'Enfant Plaza was evacuated Monday after thick smoke filled the station

One person has died and 84 people have been hospitalized after smoke engulfed a train carriage and a station platform during a suspected electrical fire on the Washington D.C. Metro.

Around 200 people were evacuated from L'Enfant Plaza at 3:20pm on Monday after the thick cloud of smoke arrived, leaving hundreds of commuters in need of medical attention and causing chaos during the city's rush hour.

A female passenger riding on a train which stopped short of the platform was taken to hospital after paramedics arrived on the scene and found no pulse, according to WTOP radio. She later died.

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the smoke. However reports indicate that the smoke was a result of a major electrical malfunction.

D.C. Firefighters union Local 36 described the incident as a 'Mass Casualty' event, meaning additional resources were needed because it was such a large-scale incident.

Because of the fatality Metro Police and the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating.

In response to the tragic death, Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles said in a statement: 'There was a woman who was in distress on that train, and I'm sorry to say she's passed away.'

According to WUSA 9, there was a track fire at the same station last Wednesday. A piece of debris was caught in a light grate, filling the station with smoke.

(A fire last week too??? Either they didn't fix the problem too well, or something is fricking going on! Obviously the previous fire didn't make the major news.)

Op ,"You hope its just old mechanics?" So you hope the only people who can fix or keep the things running in the World are the ones dead? Wow Mechanics happen to be some of the most creative ,inventive ,save your a@@ in the worst situations, breed of people. The older they are the more they know. I take offence to your ignorant statement.

a reply to: dntwastetime

I do believe you misunderstood his premise.

It was not a knock on mechanics as in the people, it was a hope that the smoke was caused by a mechanical failure thereby saving us the repercussions of some sort of attack on the subway.

originally posted by: elementalgrove
a reply to: dntwastetime

I do believe you misunderstood his premise.

It was not a knock on mechanics as in the people, it was a hope that the smoke was caused by a mechanical failure thereby saving us the repercussions of some sort of attack on the subway.

Thank you ElementalGrove. Reading IS fundamental! Shame it isn't taught more often.

Considering its the DC Metro I'd say mechanical failure is more than likely. The whole thing is in desperate need of repairs. Just look at how often the Red Line has issues.

"Dozens of other people hospitalized " Words have dual meanings. It is taught in school how to design sentences properly, so there is not a confusion of words. Mechanics is not usually a way to describe a machine. Mechanics is a way to describe a type of job skill or person. a reply to: Anyafaj