Metrorail Deadly Smoke Evacuation: Details, Timeline, What Happens Next?

A smoke-filled tunnel and emergency evacuation shook up the L’Enfant Plaza station earlier this week.

Smoke began pouring into the Yellow Line on Monday afternoon. There were 13 initial emergency phone calls made to 911 and the Office of Unified Communications supervisor with reports of trapped passengers who could barely breathe.

The Metropolitan fire departments arrived on the scene eight minutes after the first call but passengers remained trapped inside of the smoke-filled train for long after. More than 30 minutes passed without rescue and passengers continued to call asking if help was on the way.

Also on Patch: Latest on Metro Smoke: One Dead, 83 Injured

Witnesses told The Washington Post some people passed out and two appeared to be unconscious.

One passenger died as a result of the smoke and 84 were taken to the hospital with injuries, D.C. fire department spokesman Tim Wilson told the Post.

The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the cause of the smoke.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and all Metro employees, I offer my deepest condolences to the family of the passenger who died yesterday following the incident on the Yellow Line. To those who were injured or frightened, and to the thousands who have been inconvenienced by this major service disruption, I offer a heartfelt apology,” the WMATA Board of Directors Chairman Tom Downs said in a news release.

The D.C. government released a preliminary timeline of events as they unfolded Monday afternoon:

• 3:14: Metro Rail’s Unit 22 called to report a debris fire on the tracks at Gallery Place Station, upper and lower levels
• 3:19: Engine 02 Unit Dispatched to 7th St NW/H St NW (Gallery Place Metro)
• 3:18: A caller from a construction site reported smoke coming out of the Metro tunnel at 9th and Water St SW
• 3:22: Metro Rail’s Unit 22 called to advise of heavy smoke at L’Enfant Plaza Metro upper level
• 3:22: Engine 02 Arrived at 7th St NW/H St NW (Gallery Place Metro)
• 3:24: Metro Transit Official called requesting medics and fire units at L’Enfant Plaza Station for smoke in the station and reported citizens in the station could barely breathe
• 3:25: FEMS units arrived at 9th St SW/Water St SW scene where there was an odor of smoke but no flames were seen
• 3:27: A caller at the entrance of L’Enfant station requested an ambulance
• 3:28: Metro box alarm was dispatched to 7th & D St SW; EMA is notified
• 3:31: Rescue 1 arrives (1st unit) at 7th and D St SW L’Enfant Station; MPD is dispatched:32 MPD unit 1D 1011 arrives
• 3:32: A caller at the entrance of L’Enfant station requested an ambulance
• 3:33: A caller on the yellow line, in the tunnel stated the train was filled with smoke
• 3:33: A caller said he was “at or on” the Pentagon train and was transferred to Arlington 911 Center. The OUC call taker remained on the line and updated CAD which reflected this call
• 3:35: Engine 02 Unit cleared Gallery Place Metro and dispatched to L’Enfant Plaza
• 3:39: A caller on the train advised that it was filling with smoke.
• 3:42: A caller from a street location of 7th and E Street SW reported his wife was having difficulty breathing after she exited L’Enfant Station
• 3:42: Repeat caller from 3:33 – made inquiry “if help is on the way” the caller provided the train number 3031. He was transferred to the Metro Transit Official who told him not to leave the train because the tracks were still live
• 3:43: A caller advised he was stuck on the train and it was filling with smoke
• 3:44: BFC advises that WMATA confirms that power is shut down; there is a train with people trapped
• 3:45: A male caller asked “if help is on the way because the train is filling with smoke”
• 3:45: A female caller asking if help is on the way because the train is filling with smoke
• 3:46: A second alarm dispatched
• 4:09: Battalion Chief 1 advises he is at Operations Command Center and there is a report of a patient having a seizure on the train; squad 1 advises 9th and D; and an adult female is undergoing CPR, requesting a medic
• 4:12: Medic 14 advises he is a block away from L’enfant plaza and will respond; Medic 6B responds that he is closer, medic 14 cancels the run
• 4:17: Medic 6B is given the corrected location on channel 0A12, 9th and D St SW
• 4:19: Command 2 directs all medical units on L’enfant Plaza to switch to 0A5 (tactical channel due to radio traffic)
• 4:25: Medic 27 transports patient to GW, CPR is still in progress

Photo Credit: @NTSB Twitter and Google Maps

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