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L'Enfant Smoke Timeline

On Jan. 12, 2015, smoke overtook a Yellow Line train near the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station. Passengers were stranded in the orange, acrid smoke for more than 30 minutes before help finally arrived. Here is a timeline recapping their ordeal.

3rd & 7 37yd

3rd & 7 37yd

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  3:05 p.m. Smoke alarm activated near the electrical arcing in the Yellow Line tunnel, about 2,000 feet south of the L'Enfant Plaza Station. 
  

  
  

  

  (Courtesy National Transportation Safety Board) 

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:05:00 PM
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  3:06 p.m. - A circuit breaker trips and remains open at the L'Enfant Plaza Station. However power continues to be fed to the third rail from south of electrical arcing location.

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:06:00 PM
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  3:09 p.m. - Smoke first appears in the L'Enfant Plaza Station from the south tunnel but quickly dissipates. 

  
  

  

  (Courtesy NTSB) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:09:00 PM
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  3:14 p.m. - A debris fire reported at Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro Station.
  
  A D.C. fire engine arrives at 3:22 p.m. and finds no fire. 

  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:14:00 PM
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  3:15 p.m. - Train 302 stops in the tunnel just south of the L'Enfant Plaza Station because the operator couldn't see through the heavy smoke.

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:15:00 PM
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  3:16 p.m. - Ventilation fans are activated at the L'Enfant Plaza station due to reports of smoke. 

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:16:00 PM
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  3:17 p.m. - Operator of Train 302 contacts Metro's control center to report that the train is stopped. At the same time, smoke can be seen re-emerging from the southern tunnel into the L'Enfant Plaza Station. 

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:17:00 PM
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  3:18 p.m. - Caller reports smoke coming out of a WMATA ventilation shaft at 9th and Maine Avenue/Water Street.
  
  A D.C. fire engine arrives at 3:25 p.m. to report the smell of smoke. 

  
  

  At 3:30 p.m. the firefighters see two people appear in the ventilation shaft. They had self-evacuated from the smoke-filled train. Firefighters helped the two riders up the shaft, which was 50 to 75 feet deep. 

  
  

  

  (Courtesy NTSB) 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:18:00 PM
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  3:20 p.m. Heavy smoke floods into the L'Enfant Plaza Station. Riders flee up the escalator to escape the smoke. 

  
  

  via GIPHY

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:20:00 PM
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  3:22 p.m. - Metro reports heavy smoke at L'Enfant Plaza Station on the upper level. 

  
  

  At the same time, a D.C. fire engine arrives at Gallery Place, two Yellow Line stops to the north. 

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  
  

  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:22:00 PM
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  3:23 p.m. Train 510 arrives at the station. All passengers and the operator get off. A northbound train pulls into the station but doesn't open its doors and continues north to the next station. 

  

  (Courtesy NTSB) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:23:00 PM
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  3:24 p.m. - Ventilation fans south of the station are turned on. 

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:24:00 PM
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  3:24 p.m. - Metro requests medics and firefighters; reports smoke in the L'Enfant Plaza Station and patrons in the station who "can barely breathe."
  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:24:00 PM
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   3:27 p.m. 911 caller from entrance to L'Enfant Plaza Station reports smoke in the station and requests an ambulance 

  
  

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  

  
  
  

  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:27:00 PM
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  3:28 Metro box alarm alerts at L'Enfant Plaza Station

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:28:00 PM
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  3: 31 - First D.C. Fire and EMS truck arrives at L'Enfant Plaza Station

  
  

  

  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:31:00 PM
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  3:33 p.m. Call to 911, caller is on a Yellow Line train, which has filled with smoke.

  
  

  Additional calls to 911 come in from other riders at 3:39, 3:42, 3:43, and 3:45. They say the train has filled with smoke and ask if help is on the way. 

  
  

  Meanwhile, a 911 caller at 7th and E streets SW says his wife is having trouble breathing. 

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  
  

  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:33:00 PM
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  3:40 p.m. - Power is cut off to the third rail in the station but power continues to energize the line from the south. Passengers have been sitting in the acrid smoke for 25 minutes. 

  
  

  (Editor's Note: This video taken by a passenger contains foul language.)
  
  

  by WTOP via YouTube 1/12/2015 8:40:00 PM
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  3:46 p.m. Operator of Train 302 reports that one passenger is unconscious

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:46:00 PM
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  3:49 p.m. - Power is cut off south of the stranded train. At the same time, the operator of Train 302 reports that passengers are "self-evacuating."

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:49:00 PM
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  3:50 p.m. - Firefighters reach the stranded train and begin to evacuate the riders. 

  
  

  

  
  

  Firefighters tend to those who were caught in the smoke in a bus outside the L'Enfant Plaza Station. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty) 

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 8:50:00 PM
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  4:27 p.m. Evacuation complete. A total of 380 people from Train 302 came out of the tunnel into the station. 
  

  
  

  200 or more patients were triaged

  86 people were transported for medical care

  9 riders sought medical treatment

  1 rider died

  

  Jeff Marion was on his way home to Alexandria when a train filled with smoke. He has soot under his nose. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty) 

  

  #lenfant #metro #metrofire #dc

  by vbagate via Instagram

  

  D.C. Fire and EMS set up triage tarps to sort those who needed immediate medical care from those with more minor concerns above the L'Enfant Plaza Station. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)

   

   

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  by WTOP 1/12/2015 9:27:00 PM
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  6:50 p.m. Metro's General Manager Richard Sarles announces that one passenger on the stranded train 302 has died. 

  
  

  Carol Glover was 61. 

  
  

  
  

  

  (Courtesy Glover Family) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/12/2015 11:50:00 PM
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  Jan. 13, 8:15 p.m. Metro restores full service along the Yellow Line. Green Line service had previously been restored.

  
  

  
  

  

  (WTOP/Megan Cloherty) 

  
   

  by WTOP 1/14/2015 1:15:00 AM
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  Jan. 16 - NTSB releases initial findings and first photos of damaged track and rail

  
  

  Federal investigators say that power was not cut to the energized third rail for 45 minutes as an electrical problem released heavy smoke into a Metro train and station Monday sickening dozens and killing one rider.
  

  
  

  Read the full story here. 

  
  

  

  (Courtesy NTSB) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 1/16/2015 9:06:00 PM
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  Sons of woman who died on smoke-filled subway file lawsuit

  WTOPWASHINGTON (AP) — The sons of a woman who died after smoke filled a Washington subway train are suing the Metro transit agency for $50 million. Attorney Patrick Regan filed the lawsuit Friday on behalf of Marcus and Anthony Glover, the adult sons of Carol Glover.

  by WTOP 1/30/2015 3:00:00 PM
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  Feb. 11 - NTSB announces that ventilation fans actually pushed the smoke toward the stranded Yellow Line train, instead of drawing it away from the train. 

  
  

  Read the full story here. 

  by WTOP 2/11/2015 5:30:00 PM
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  June 8 - NTSB recommends immediate fix to Metro electrical system

  
  

  Federal transportation safety officials say Metro must immediately repair and install sleeves that are designed to protect electrical components, which power the rail system, from water and other contaminants.
  

  
  

  Read the full story here.

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 6/8/2015 4:06:00 PM
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  Feds issue scathing Metro safety report

  WTOPWASHINGTON — Overworked, undertrained and distracted rail controllers are just part of the major safety issues that Metro has failed to address, according to a Federal Transit Administration report released Wednesday. The FTA inspection, initiated…

  by WTOP 6/17/2015 4:00:00 PM
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  June 23 - Day 1 of NTSB hearing

  
  

  Train operator told he couldn't return to station platform. 

  
  

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  
  

  by WTOP 6/23/2015 4:00:00 PM
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  June 24 - Day 2 of NTSB hearing

  
  

  Passengers stayed calm during fatal smoke incident

  
  

  

  (Associated Press) 

  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  by WTOP 6/24/2015 4:00:00 PM
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  U.S. Secretary of Transportation transfers Metro safety oversight to FTA

  WTOPWASHINGTON — The United States Secretary of Transportation on Friday transferred Metro’s safety oversight to the Federal Transit Administration following several safety lapses including the deadly smoke incident at the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station in January.…

  by WTOP 10/9/2015 4:00:00 PM
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  Metro officially appoints new GM

  WTOPWASHINGTON — As Metro’s new general manager was sworn in Thursday, he suggested that fare hikes might be off the table for now but also warned riders that it will take time to right the…

  by WTOP 11/19/2015 5:06:00 PM

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