Fire break out along D.C. Metro tracks

[Trainspotter]

Fire break out along D.C. Metro tracks

By BRETT ZONGKER

The Associated Press

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Small fires broke out for a second straight night along the capital region's Metrorail system, crippling commuter train service and leaving investigators on Tuesday trying to pinpoint the cause.

 

Officials blamed electrical problems for a fire on the tracks at the Pentagon City station in Arlington, Va., that halted service there and at four nearby stations, including Reagan National Airport's busy station, from 7:30 p.m. until the system's normal midnight closing.

 

Power problems also were blamed for another small fire at the U Street-Cardozo station in Washington, which was closed for about an hour, along with neighboring Columbia Heights station.

 

"We are doing everything we can to try to identify what the problem is," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. "It's extremely troubling just for one day, let alone two."

 

Earlier Monday, transit officials were investigating whether a sudden electrical surge in northern Virginia might have caused five similar fires that shut down several rail stations Sunday evening. Farbstein said then that nothing about the fires appeared to be suspicious.

 

The trains were running normally again Tuesday morning and Deputy General Manager Gerald Francis apologized to riders for the inconvenience. He said the outbreak was unprecedented in Metro's 31-year history.

 

"We have pulled together a team representing several operational departments to determine the cause of the incidents," Francis said in a statement. "We know our riders were frustrated."

 

Metro was working with Dominion Power, though Dominion spokeswoman Le-Ha Anderson said the utility company had "no record of any electrical problems within the Metro system due to Dominion's equipment."

 

She said Metro maintains its own wires within the transit system, and Dominion only provides electricity at stations in Virginia, not the District of Columbia.

 

"I think it's safe to say there are lots of theories out there as to what caused this," Anderson said.

 

One rider said hundreds of people were at the Pentagon City station Monday when the fire was discovered.

 

"It smelled like rust, and it was kind of like burning just a little bit," Lamar Williams told WTTG-TV. "It was hot, it was damp, it was muggy and people were ornery."

 

D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said his investigators were working with Metro to determine the cause of the fires. He stressed that no one was in danger.

 

"It's more of a nuisance than a hazard," Rubin said.

[Pablo M 201]

oh noes....

 

Something is really wrong down there for a second day in a row.....