# WMATA Tunnel Fire Kills 1, Injures 2



## Ryan (Oct 6, 2013)

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.
> 
> ...


Just stupid and senseless.


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## jis (Oct 6, 2013)

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


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## afigg (Oct 6, 2013)

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.


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## PRR 60 (Oct 6, 2013)

afigg said:


> 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,


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## Ryan (Oct 6, 2013)

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


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## afigg (Oct 6, 2013)

PRR 60 said:


> 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.


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## cavedweller (Oct 20, 2013)

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),*B**ox*...... ......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 *


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## Ryan (Oct 20, 2013)

Some would argue it already has.


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## NW cannonball (Oct 20, 2013)

Unfortunately, possibly so.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Oct 20, 2013)

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.


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## CHamilton (Nov 7, 2013)

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....
> ...


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