Photo by @SadieDing

Yesterday afternoon’s Metro commute is one that is sure to go down in infamy, at least for many Green Line riders.

Just as workers were starting to head home on what promised to be a stormy afternoon, a small fire outside the Anacostia station forced Green Line trains to single-track between Navy Yard and Southern Avenue. But as Metro workers tried to resolve the problem, they accidentally turned off power to two trains waiting to proceed through, leaving some 2,000 riders stranded on trains sitting in tunnels.

Most riders stayed put, but between 50 and 150 decided to “self-evacuate”—they walked down the track bed towards the Anacostia station. Metro workers eventually helped them out of the tunnels and into a park. In the meantime, crowds flowed aimlessly out of the Navy Yard station, which was packed with rush hour commuters.

The situation was eventually resolved by 7 p.m., though some delays persisted until an hour later. All told, three people were sent to the hospital during the two-hour ordeal; one women was reported as having had a seizure. Some riders complained by Metro personnel weren’t clear on what to do or what the alternatives were, and buses sent to ferry commuters couldn’t handle the amount of riders that were stranded. After a similar incident last July, Metro promised to increase communication in such situations.