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AlertDC reported at 1:46 p.m. that a person has been struck by a Metrorail train at the McPherson Square station. WMATA hasn't put out a press release yet, but their alert system says that there is police activity at the station and that Orange and Blue line trains are turning back at Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle stations. They are currently estimating delayed conditions will last up to 2 hours. We'll update when more information becomes available.
UPDATE 2:03 p.m.: Here's Metro's first press release. They say the person was struck at around 1:15 p.m., and that there is no train service in the McPherson Square station while emergency crews respond. Metro is setting up free shuttle bus service from the Foggy Bottom Metrorail station to the Federal Triangle Metrorail station to help passengers around the incident area. The buses will stop at Foggy Bottom, Farragut West, McPherson Square, Metro Center and Federal Triangle.
UPDATE 3:25 p.m. The Associated Press is quoting DCFD spokesperson Alan Etter as saying the victim was a man, and he was killed. The station is still closed.
USA Today's Patrick Cooper was on board the train in question, and has a post up on his personal blog detailing the experience.
4:30 p.m. The McPherson Square station has been reopened and this incident should be all clear for the evening rush.
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the headline should read "struck" not "stuck"
Wow, I was getting back from the docotrs right 1:30 and MP is my stop. for some reason, I took the bus instead of the train ... lucky for me.
WTOP is reporting that the man was killed.
Just out of curiosity, does this happen as often on other subway systems?
I wonder if it was a jumper or actually a real accident... call me cruel but I wish the jumpers would not pick a crowded time at a busy station to oft themselves and delay those of us who want to enjoy life and not be stuck in a jam...
Yeah, that's not so much a cruel as a vapidly callous thing to remark, i think.
I noticed your other post about how inept and disorganized our public institutions are in DC. And you're right, they are laughably backwards. But, really, someone doing themselves is a sad thing. And your inconvenience is pretty petty compared to some ending their life. I have a hard time wanting to engage you in a discussion of how and why things here are so messed up in light of that.
You were also concerned about your possible inconvenience. Above you mentioned how "lucky" you were to have decided last minute to take the bus instead of the train. Calling someone out for the fact they feel inconvenienced by a suicide seems a little hypocritical don't you think?
I found both of your comments insensitive.
My coworker tried to go into McPherson Square station just after this happened (before the alert went out). She said all of the people leaving (including a Metro employee) said that the guy jumped.
I was on the train that hit the unfortunate victim. His body was visible between the first and second cars after the train struck him. What was almost as horrifying as the accident was the behavior of several passengers in my car (the second car). They opened the door at the front of the car and gawked at the body. "Is that him down there?" "Let me see!" "I think he's dead." "It doesn't look like he's moving." "What is the driver waiting for? Why don't he open the doors?" "I'm gonna be late for my meeting." You had to be there. Those passengers were more of a spectacle than the dead man. Absolutely appalling!
I'm feeling pretty ashamed of my fellow citizens right now. There are many good ones out there, but the car I was on was full of rotten apples. My condolences to the dead man's family.
Thanks for your message. Really tragic, and really sad, some of the comments of your passengers. Still, it's good to hear that a DCist person was on the scene and provide a first-hand account. It means a lot.
Sometimes, like on the highway, when there's a backup, I get somewhat impatient wondering what the @#$%, but then when we crawl up to an accident, I step back and think how lucky I am to be able to just drive on.
I lost a good friend earlier this month and suicide is suspected (family won't way) but I know for a fact that suicide tears families and friends apart.
I feel like an asshole for my comment, I was feeling sorry for myself, and I wasn't even there. I hope you are ok.
In Taipei, as well as Paris, some of their metro stations have doors/barriers along the train platform. This certainly would prevent these incidents. With platform doors, the trains would have to stop at the same spot all the time, and line up with the doors, which I'm not sure Metro can do yet, and there would need to be funding for this, and it would take some getting used (for passengers) to having these here. But think these are all solvable issues.
Taipei has also installed a "track intrusion detection system" to automatically trigger alarms if there was a person on the tracks. (of course, if someone intentionally jumped right in front of the train, there would not be enough time for an automated alarm to help) It's still something worth considering, IMHO.
This sort of incident has sadly happened way too often in the Metro system, that I think it's time to consider such possible safety measures and what would be required to make them happen.
Some tube stations in London have barriers along the tunnels too. The train lines up with them and then both sets of doors open together. Works well. Probably costs a lot.
I was actually on the same side of the platform as the man that died. He waited until the lights were blinking for an approaching train, then jumped down onto the tracks and made sure there was a current and then laid down to wait for the train. So yes, it was an accident, at least on the part of the metro staff. The man clearly intended to do what he did. And it is extremely callous and classless to mention how inconvenienced one was by the matter, as a person's inconvenience pales in comparison to the value inherently placed on an individual's life.
And I was not pointing fingers at anyone that had made a post by saying it is classless to say one is inconvenienced; I was merely making the statement in light of what I am sure were some people's thoughts on the train at the time and the people that had to leave the station in light of the accident.
I was incredibly fortunately, that my temp job got extended an extra day. If I hadn't although it would be unlikely I might have been there at the station or on the train. If I was I would not have been able to cope. I feel a mix of sorrow and anger I feel sorry for the man and his family. I know it is bad to be angry. It is not about being inconvenienced it is deeper. Even though I wasn't there, his actions is imposed on my brain, and I'm angry that its there. This is hard to admit, but I'm not ok, and won't be for a long time.
I was incredibly fortunately, that my temp job got extended an extra day. If I hadn't although it would be unlikely I might have been there at the station or on the train. If I was I would not have been able to cope. I feel a mix of sorrow and anger I feel sorry for the man and his family. I know it is bad to be angry. It is not about being inconvenienced it is deeper. Even though I wasn't there, his actions is imposed on my brain, and I'm angry that its there. This is hard to admit, but I'm not ok, and won't be for a long time.
Sorry about the double posts.