WASHINGTON — A former official with the National Transportation Safety Board is expressing shock at one of the findings included in the final investigative report into last year’s deadly smoke incident near L’Enfant Plaza.
In the report, released Tuesday by the NTSB, investigators say Metro has put subway riders at risk in the past by deliberately sending passenger-filled trains into tunnels where smoke or fire had been reported to give train operators the opportunity to look into the situation.
“That is absolutely insane to have an operating revenue train go into an area to explore to see what potentially could be wrong,” former NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker told WTOP.
“This was not an official policy, but it was an actual operating activity.”
Metro has stopped the practice.
Among other findings included in the report, investigators say Metro has ignored maintenance issues and has allowed its safety culture to fall by the wayside.
“For 30 years, this system has been less than robust in its safety activities,” said Rosenker.
To get things back on track, Rosenker said, “it’s going to take significant amounts of money and commitment.”
Rosenker says he’s encouraged by Metro’s new general manager. He said Paul Wiedefeld appears to be taking the transit agency in the correct direction.
