Update – 10:55 a.m. – Firefighters and a Metro crew located and cleared an arcing insulator in the tunnel between the Medical Center and Bethesda stations Tuesday morning.
Fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said firefighters did not encounter a fire, but that they located the smoking insulator on the track between the stations. The smoke was cleared and the insulator and track issues were handled by a Metro maintenance crew, according to Piringer.
Metro announced its maintenance team removed the arcing insulator from the track area and then left the tunnel around 10:55 a.m. The Red Line had been single tracking in the tunnel due to the firefighter response, but Metro said normal service has now resumed, although there may be some residual delays.
The tunnel is prone to arcing insulator incidents, which is when water or debris comes in contact with the electrified third rail and causes smoke. Metro is planning to fix a number of leaks in the tunnel during the summer or fall of 2016 as part of a $12.2 million construction project.
Main't removed the arcing insulator from track area, clear of tunnel. Trains resuming normal service w/ residual delays. 10:55a #wmata
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) April 7, 2015
Update……Bethesda Metro Station & Medical Center Metro Station OPEN for passengers, NO Smoke, Red Line trains seem to be single-tracking
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) April 7, 2015
More….report of smoking insulator in tunnel Btwn Medical Center & Bethesda Metro Station, incident on track Area
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) April 7, 2015
Red Line: Single tracking btwn Medical Center & Friendship Heights due to a track problem outside Medical Center. Delays both directions.
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) April 7, 2015
