Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul Wiedefeld is scheduled to announce that the entire rail system will be shut down on Wednesday. The shutdown is to allow crews to check more than 600 underground power cables throughout the system for safety problems.
All Metrorail service will be suspended Wed., March 16, for emergency inspections: https://t.co/OPr8Ia6Vgt #wmata pic.twitter.com/YEXPL1cm2s
— Metro (@wmata) March 15, 2016
#BREAKING: Metro will shut down ENTIRE system for 24 hours for emergency inspection of 1,200+ pieces of equipment https://t.co/gNxxD1HG2o
— NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) March 15, 2016
The power cables being inspected were named as a cause of the system’s fire on Monday which restricted service to a number of high-traffic stations for the entire day. The cables were also pinpointed as the cause of a fatal fire Jan 2015 which resulted in the death of one passenger.
DEVELOPING: Metrorail System Map for March 16, 2016. pic.twitter.com/owAfpc3S3h
— Dave Stroup (@DaveStroup) March 15, 2016
Connolly calls #wmata shutdown Weds "gut punch", but safety must be number 1. VRE plans normal service pic.twitter.com/aXHievLwfz
— Max Smith (@amaxsmith) March 15, 2016
Washington’s public schools system will be open on Wednesday although tardies and absences will be excused for students with transportation issues.
DCPS will be OPEN tomorrow, March 16. We are working with Metro to add additional bus service. Tardies and absences will be excused.
— DC Public Schools (@dcpublicschools) March 15, 2016
[Developing]
(Image: NTSB/January 2015 L’Enfant Plaza electrical fire)