Explosion Causes Red Line Delays

Smoke in Station
Picture of smoke in Red Line station uploaded by @arasmus

Update, 11am: “Normal” service restored.

Update, 10am: Red Line is now single-tracking between Farragut North and Judiciary Square. According to Dr. Gridlock, Metro spokeswoman Angela Gates says a collector shoe fell off a train car, sparking a fire under the train at Gallery Place-Chinatown. Smoke then traveled down the tunnel to Metro Center.


Most of the downtown Red Line has been virtually shut down by heavy smoke between Metro Center and Gallery Place-Chinatown — official delay announcements have been punctuated online by reports from Twitterers of a fire caused by one or two minor explosions, possibly from under a train.

@drgridlock: A collector shoe, which sends power from the 3rd rail to the train, fell off and caused a fire.

@EWebb_PYT: 2 minor explosion on the red line! We were scared as heck. Glad everyone made it out without injury! I’m walking from Metro Center

Fuzzy pic from @1THEREGG shows what looks like a small fire on the tracks:

@DCFireEMS: metro incident – Metro Ctr / Gallery Place smoke in tunnel and/or fire under train Metro Ctr being evac

@sspenguin: DC Fire/EMS: #RedLine train’s burning brakes caused electrical fire, boom at Gallery Place; smoke backed into Metro Center station.

davestroup: now people are saying “small explosion” what in the world. it was likely arcing, using term explosion is rather sensationalist.

movingmomentarily: Burning breaks caused a small fire and train was evacuated apparently. Red line is in a DO NOT USE state. I bet it smells AWFUL too…

Roving Asian mendicant, can occasionally be seen wandering the streets of downtown Washington, muttering unintelligible gibberish to passers-by while pushing a “bag lady” shopping cart full of old blankets, American flags, soda cans, and healthy secondhand snacks from organic food shop dumpsters. Used to live in a cardboard box at 16th and K but the rent was too expensive.

2 thoughts on “Explosion Causes Red Line Delays

  1. Looks like things are re-opening according to the Get There blog on the Post’s website. Glad no one was hurt!

  2. was on chinatown tracks–heard loud boom as train departed. train stopped. then continued into tunnel. another loud boom accompanied by flash of fire in tunnel and heavy smoke.