Unsuck DC Metro: Smoke? Fire? Who Cares?

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Smoke? Fire? Who Cares?

From an anonymous reader:

Last Thursday, there was a fire in one of the lamps at Foggy Bottom. Tons of smoke was billowing out.

My boyfriend and I jogged all the way back upstairs and yelled to the station manager "there's a fire on the platform!"

She looked annoyed and said "I know! I already called the police and fire department."

Don't the station managers have fire extinguishers?

What kind of Metrorail system doesn't keep a fire extinguisher on hand in case of a small-to-medium fire, like this?

We have to WAIT for the fire department?

And she didn't even bother to evacuate the station to protect people from smoke and fire!

She didn't even bother to come out of her kiosk to look. She stayed behind the glass while several concerned people were telling her about the fire.

It could have been a backpack someone placed up there with an IED in it. I could have been anything. She had no idea--and didn't seem to care.

The trains kept running, and there was not a single service disruption as a result of the fire, which is frightening. They didn't even make an announcement warning those who may be sensitive to inhaling tons of smoke.

Wow. NEGLIGENCE.

If that HAD been a bomb, and she was notified of the smoke ahead of time, and 10 minutes later it went off, there would be hell to pay.

Comments (36)

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+4 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 756 weeks ago

This morning at Metro Center. Lights flashing showing imminent train, none comes. PID's show NOTHING. No, I take that back, PID's announcing early opening on Saturday, but no train arrival information. Train take 8 minutes to show up (Orange Line).

Screw you WMATA. Screw you Mr. Sarles.

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Meredith · 756 weeks ago

I feel you, F'n JD. I went in early today because I knew traffic would be bad, and in walking down to the station platform from the Vienna parking garage (a walk of about three or four minutes) there was no train and, based on volume, there hadn't been one for a while. I waited another two minutes on the platform before one arrived.

There are NEVER any functioning PIDs on the platform at Vienna, so there's no way to know when a train is coming or if another one will be arriving soon. NOTE TO OTHER END-OF-THE-LINE RIDERS: Is this normal at other end-of-the-line stations, too?

But while listening to WTOP on the ride to the station, Metro was "reporting no delays." I would call a ten minute wait for an orange line train a "delay." It was too full for anyone else to get on by the time we go to West Falls Church.

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Ever and Anon · 756 weeks ago

Meredith, I am an end-of-the-line Orange rider. It's pitiful in all directions, sad to say.

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anonymous · 755 weeks ago

For the last two or three days at Fed Triangle, the PIDs have incorrectly displayed train info. The PID states that a blue line train is now boarding when in fact it is an orange line train. One tourist boarded hoping to go toward National Airport and was justifiably confused at Courthouse when she learned she had been on the wrong train.

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Guest · 756 weeks ago

This is astounding. This woman should be fir...nevermind. Here's a raise. Would you like some time off as well?

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Corresponding Toads · 756 weeks ago

Whoa guys, way to jump the gun here. It's the station manager's job to MANAGE THE STATION. This means sitting in the control center and MANAGING THE STATION. They are not Station Firemen or Station Fire Extinguishers. They are STATION MANAGERS. Why should she risk hurting herself trying to put out a fire? Leave that to the crazies who actually care about public safety.

5 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Anonymous · 756 weeks ago

Station managers are trained in first aid and emergency procedures. Her job is to do exactly what you are complaining tht she should not do. Your silly rants now have me wonder if you are a Metro employee yourself. No need to reply; I am not really that interested.

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Corresponding Toads · 756 weeks ago

Yeah, managers are trained in emergency procedures... TO MAN THEIR POST UNTIL POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL ARRIVE!

For all I know, you're a metro employee.

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Anon · 756 weeks ago

Would not a metro employee have said the exact opposite and agree with you, Toads? And no, check out the details - the station employees are not trained to man posts. They are trained to act. Have a nice day, if you can.

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Corresponding Toads · 756 weeks ago

I'll show you a nice day.

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guest · 756 weeks ago

Wow inability to detect sarcasm FTW

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Ever and Anon · 756 weeks ago

She had no need to care. If the bomb went off she'd be dead. And, as Guest said, if she got in trouble, well free time off with pay. Doesn't that fit Metro thinking, sad to say. She's in a no lose situation. And we riders are screwed.

Orange line other way is PID pitiful, too, F'n JD. Even the clocks are breaking down.

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@The_CLA_Group · 756 weeks ago

She's a UNION WORKER. It's not in her job description to be concerned.

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Lacosse is the best · 756 weeks ago

If David Lacosse were in charge of the station, he'd put the fire out right away just by staring at it! He really is the best! Lacosse earns every one of the hundred thousand dollars he is paid!

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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All4Lacosse · 756 weeks ago

FINALLY! Thank you!!! Glad I'm not alone in this

+9 Vote up Vote down

anon · 756 weeks ago

She has better things to do like text, eat mcdonald's, sleep, berate passengers. Cmon man! she' bizzay

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Nunya Bidness · 756 weeks ago

This comment made me laugh out loud. "she bizzay" Haha!

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Godsend Conspirator · 756 weeks ago

Two Metrobuses collide in Silver Spring, after one driver's "failing to control the vehicle speed."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-n...

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Clarendon Cruiser · 756 weeks ago

If I had enough coffee, I could have put that fire out! Old camping trick!

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dan · 756 weeks ago

Metro - you're not even the little engine that can't anymore. You're the little engine that won't and doesn't give a damn anyway. I blame management more than the unions – management must have capitulated to union demands time and again to let ATU Local put itself in a position of such unassailable strength.

Notice that WMATA’s failures weren’t even a real issue in the recent mayoral election… I wonder why? Could it have been that mentioning the Metro would have inevitably led to an admission of it many failures, which in turn would have been like swatting a beehive with a baseball bat when you yourself aspire to become the queen bee? Talk about a third rail issue… but to tell the truth, Metro’s in a state of such abject and perpetual failure that you could probably lick a third rail and get nothing more than a little zap.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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ZZinDC · 756 weeks ago

You're right to bring this up - let's make it an election issue with Gray - it's not like there's going to be any competition for him to worry about. Metro doesn't anwser to the DC Mayor, or VA governor or the MD governor - members are appointed by the jursidictions, but that seems to be the end of it. Heck the Metro Board pretty much is accountable to no one, not even the people they are supposed to report to, the Tri-state Oversight Committee. They do appear to the paying attention to the NSTB, but it took several deaths to get to the point! I don't know why none of the Board members have been replaced in the aftermath of the Red Line crash and all we have learned since then.

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F'n JD · 756 weeks ago

An election issue between Gray and who?

That said, Mr. Gray...consider this an opportunity to speak up and earn some points at the expense of Metro, particularly Ms. Jeter.

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dan · 756 weeks ago

I waited 9 minutes this morning at Reagan for a Blue Line train going North. At 8:15. Rush hour. Nine minutes. Metro can't even competently handle the task it was made to do - to get workers into and out of the city during the work week. Last weekend I got stuck at L’Enfant for about an hour due to scheduled track maintenance while Metro endeavored to "continue to improve..." the system.

We’re paying more, and for what? Elevators and escalators are perennially out of service. Trains don't run on time. Scheduled track maintenance shuts down the whole system (here's a novel concept - try working at night...). PIDs are wrong. Metro won’t admit it has any problems.

To boot, we now also have the pleasure of listening to the Secretary of the Ministry of Truth, I mean Homeland Security, reminding us to be vigilant on the Metrorail system. Against what? Out of control trains? Flash mobs at Chinatown and L'Enfant? Armed passengers? Heat stroke brought on by sweltering trains? Surly WMATA personnel? Raccoons in stations? Gunfights outside the entrances to the Metro?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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@VeggieTart · 756 weeks ago

And is it me, or does there seem to be track maintenance EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND?! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?! And who is the idiot who didn't think a transit system needed redundant tracks?

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dan · 756 weeks ago

BTW Unsuck, every considered printing Unsuck DC Metro tees? I don't know if you'd be inviting any kind of litigious action in doing so, but it'd be a great way to raise awareness.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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F'n JD · 756 weeks ago

I'm in for one.

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@kara_h · 756 weeks ago

Well, to be fair, it was Foggy Bottom. We all know how well an emergency evacuation would go there. She must have decided she did not want a paid vacation that week. :)

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aleonard1 52p · 756 weeks ago

If you wanted her to put herself in potential danger for the non-union people in the station, you apparently believe in slavery.

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Anonymous · 756 weeks ago

People complain about everything. If they shut down stations everytime there was a small fire you would be complaining more. As for the station manager, how do you know they hadn't already checked the fire? People are quick to blame, but if the fire has been burning for 10 min. and you just walk up on it. How do you know it hasn't been already checked and reported. I am glad to see your concern and report it, because people often look at things and say "I can't believe nobody is doing anything." But the truth is, if nobody reports it, how is it going to be taken care of?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Ever and Anon · 756 weeks ago

Then would not have that station manager said something if, for no other reason, to shut up the passengers bellowing at her for results? Her lack of silence speaks volumes to this rider.

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Max · 756 weeks ago

I was on the train that had the fire problem. Smelled a lot like smoke and some people were panicking but she wouldn't open the doors. She then announced "we have to turn off the A/C to prevent the smoke from circulating... it might get a little stuffy." I can't speak for everyone, but feeling stuffy was NOT my biggest concern.

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Sam · 756 weeks ago

I think this is a little bit of a stretch. She is responding to the emergency. Maybe she already used the fire extinguisher. Maybe she was awaiting a response regarding further instructions. Everyone makes so many assumptions. I am often critical and vocal about WMATA as well, but I think this particular complaint is a little bit of a stretch.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Seriously? · 756 weeks ago

Wait wait wait, what? There was a FIRE and she was doing nothing and letting people roam about as if nothing was wrong? What the hell? I'm sure hanging out in the booth with a fire burning letting passengers milling about is not in the policy handbook.

I think we all sort of appreciate that there weren't service disruptions in the end (yah, I'll say it), but is it a stretch to be concerned that she "went on break" while there was a critical situation?! Come.on.

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Radner · 756 weeks ago

These people were making assmptions because of lack of information. Communicating with the riders is part of safety training. And if she knew there was a fire and had reported it she should have communicated that with the riders. There should also have been something in place to keep people from entering the station and going to the platform. Evacuating people is one thing, but letting more people get on a buring platform is another.

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Guest · 756 weeks ago

On a different safety subject, check out this WTOP article and the comments. http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=2066903 I feel bad that the Metro board member got hurt, but there's a whole lot of karma coming round.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Corresponding Toads · 755 weeks ago

"Now that I have had that experience, it may be time to take another look a better surface."

Fixing Metro is always fun and games until someone gets hurt.