Adam Tuss, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Metro has fired a track worker because of a recent derailment at the Rosslyn Station.
The worker was fired because of failing to follow standard safety procedures.
“That person is no longer working here,” General Manager Richard Sarles told reporters after a board meeting Thursday.
Metro staff revealed for the first time Thursday, that a track worker had improperly repaired a troublesome track switch at the Rosslyn Station. When a Blue Line train was given the “all clear” to proceed forward, it fell off the tracks. No one was hurt.
Metro Chief Safety Officer Jim Dougherty said the problem had to do with the failure of the track worker to properly “align and secure” the switch.
Meanwhile, Metro responded to a recent laundry list of other safety incidents, including two bus fires, a defibrillator malfunction and faulty brake parts.
“What this shows is that we have developed a better safety culture. We are quite clear about what happened, why it happened and how to fix it,” said Sarles.
He said Metro’s safety culture is much better than it was one year ago or two years ago.
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