WMATA Tunnel Fire Kills 1, Injures 2

[Ryan]

http://www.wtop.com/41/3473416/3-workers-injured-in-Metro-tunnel-fire

The contractor who was injured early Sunday has died of his injuries, according to a statement from WMATA. The two WMATA employees are being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel tells WTOP that hydraulic fluid was leaking from some track equipment and caught on fire as the workers were welding.

No trains or passengers were near the area because that portion of the Red Line is closed for track work this weekend.

Metro is investigating the incident and the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified.

Metro has ordered a Red Line safety "stand down" to brief the crews on what happened and to reinforce on safety procedures. They will work to restore the track after all safety briefings and on-site investigations have been completed.

They expect normal service to resume before tomorrow morning's commute.

Just stupid and senseless.

 

[jis]

Welders were welding next to leaking fluid that they didn't know enough about? That is really strange.

 

[afigg]

This accident occurred during a major shutdown of the Red Line this weekend for track work in the city core from Union Station to Farragut North with buses connecting the stations. Another serious work related accident at WMATA, although they have been doing much better on worker safety the past several years.

Washington Post article: Metro contractor killed in Red Line explosion. If the work or welding crew saw the hydraulic fluid on the tunnel floor, it is possible that they thought it was water. If the NTSB has enough staff available, I suspect they will open a formal investigation. The NTSB has been involved with WMATA ever since the 2009 Red Line collision.

 

[PRR 60]

This accident occurred during a major shutdown of the Red Line this weekend for track work in the city core from Union Station to Farragut North with buses connecting the stations. Another serious work related accident at WMATA, although they have been doing much better on worker safety the past several years.

Washington Post article: Metro contractor killed in Red Line explosion. If the work or welding crew saw the hydraulic fluid on the tunnel floor, it is possible that they thought it was water. If the NTSB has enough staff available, I suspect they will open a formal investigation. The NTSB has been involved with WMATA ever since the 2009 Red Line collision.

Since it did involve a train or train operations, this might be more in the jurisdiction of OSHA as an occupational safety issue,

 

[Ryan]

Looks like the NTSB would like to get involved, if they weren't shut down.

An NTSB spokesperson tells ABC7 that, due to furloughs in the government shutdown, the agency will not send investigators to the accident site and NTSB officials will not be available to talk about the WMATA incident.

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/10/metro-contractor-killed-in-red-line-tunnel-explosion-report-94951.html#ixzz2gzKjeyff

Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook

 

[afigg]

Since it did involve a train or train operations, this might be more in the jurisdiction of OSHA as an occupational safety issue,

The NTSB has been involved in an investigations and review of WMATA since the 2009 Red Line accident. I recall reading about NTSB investigations of several worker related accidents since 2009 as part of their overall investigation of WMATA safety culture.

The NTSB website has a shut down notice on the front page, but it was updated with a statement on the fatal accident this weekend. My interpretation is that if NTSB was not shut down except for serious emergencies, they would be opening an investigation into this accident. Besides, NTSB is headquartered at L'Enfant Plaza. An NTSB investigation team could walk to the accident site from their office if they wanted to.

Washington Post update on the accident. The injuries were not from a fire, but from a 40' rail moved by the explosion which hit the workers. Takes a substantial explosion to throw a 40' long rail. My guess is that the rail was in a rack or on a lift, not on the ground.

 

[cavedweller]

The whole philosphical structure of contracting work,as a whole ,does not allow for an involved survey of a given situation for non stated in contract factors ,like maybe safety.....,HA,time is money.....lowest cost bidder rules are in effect ....and WMATA's current top down autocractic management structure,has regular 689 ,local 2 employees SCARED to think outside of the RULES,(SOPs ,OAPS and such),Box...... ......How do I know?....I was a 30 year WMATA employee who retired and since then I have worked a few contract jobs there .....Contractor employers instill a sense of resentment in THEIR employees towards Metro employees and Metro employees feel that their over time has been taken from them by said contractors.....A nasty recipe,which can create an uncertainand DANGEROUS work environment........Imagine a military unit in a combat situation where one feels that they can trust NO one,in THEIR unit ,(seen what happens there too,especially when you have rule book management ),and you get the idea .......I predict with certainty that this type of accident will become an unfortunate norm

 

[Ryan]

Some would argue it already has.

 

[NW cannonball]

Unfortunately, possibly so.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I have to say that I quite enjoyed riding the Washington Metro out on the elevated and ground-level sections. I don't really like to ride subways because it gets boring and "stuffy" inside. Too bad the WMATA is going through such troubles.

 

[CHamilton]

It's sad that NTSB had to even tell WMATA to take some of these commonsensical steps.

NTSB closes more safety requirements for WMATA

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has closed seven more of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) outstanding safety recommendations, bringing the total number closed to 20 out of 29, the agency announced yesterday.


The NTSB's action marks WMATA's "steady progress" toward improving the system's safety for riders and employees, said WMATA General Manager Richard Sarles in a press release....

NTSB issued the recommendations after a Red Line crash killed nine people in 2009.

Of the remaining nine recommendations, four have been submitted to NTSB for closure. The other five recommendations involve longer duration projects — such as the replacement of all 1000-series cars — that are under way but will require more time to complete, WMATA officials said.

The seven recently closed recommendations required the agency to:

• ensure appropriate coordination between maintenance and design departments to resolve issues before new equipment is purchased;
• establish a single point of responsibility within car maintenance to quickly evaluate and incorporate actions identified through accident investigations or related research;
• establish written procedure for rail lubrication for single-track operations over switches and turnouts;
• review and update operating rules related to roadway worker protection;
• review medial history and physical examination forms at all transit properties and modify them to solicit information about sleep apnea or other sleep disorders;
• establish a program at all transit properties to identify operators at risk for obstructive sleep disorders and require treatment; and
• remove unnecessary wayside maintenance communication to eliminate the potential for interference with the automatic train control system.