Washington, DC, USA – A woman died and dozens of people were injured after thick smoke filled a subway tunnel in the US capital Monday, January 12, during the evening rush hour, officials said.
A spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) confirmed the incident, which caused mayhem in the second-busiest US mass transit system after New York.
Washington Emergency Medical Services said that 84 people were taken to the hospital with “various injuries” and that one firefighter was also injured. Some 200 people were being evaluated, it added.
The Washington Post reported two people were suffering from critical injuries.
WMATA said emergency crews were deployed and that the station was being aired out.
Smoke filled the L’Enfant Plaza subway station in the center of the city during rush hour, prompting the evacuation of startled passengers and forcing commuters to find other ways to get home after work. The train was bound for Virginia across the Potomac River.
Emergency workers escorted smoke inhalation victims to medical aid buses to receive oxygen.
Photos posted on social media showed passengers crammed into smoke-filled trains covering their mouths and eyes, while the subway tunnel was engulfed with thick gray fog.
The National Transportation Safety Board said at a late night briefing that “an electrical arcing event” happened 1,100 feet (330 meters) in front of the train and this filled the tunnel with smoke, the Washington Post reported.
The agency said the arcing involved cables that power the electrified third rail of the train tracks. Arcing is often connected with short circuits and may generate smoke.
The station was temporarily closed Monday before reopening for partial service, but transport authorities said trains could be delayed Tuesday.
L’Enfant Plaza is near several government buildings, office complexes and restaurants.
Washington’s Metro system serves five million people in a 1,500-square-mile (3,885-square kilometer) area, which includes transport to neighboring Virginia and Maryland states.
The trains and buses provide about 2.3 million trips per year, according to WMATA. – Rappler.com
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