Photo by Rolenz.
The family of Carol Glover, the 61-year-old grandmother who died in the Metro smoke incident at the L’Enfant Plaza station earlier this month, will sue WMATA for $50 million.
The lawsuit, which is below via WAMU reporter (and former DCist editor) Martin Austermuhle, alleges that WMATA failed to properly inspect, maintain, and fix the third rail and ventilation system in the tunnel near the L’Enfant platform. An “electrical arcing event” on the third rail is what caused smoke to start billowing into the Metro car Glover was stuck on. The lawsuit also blames Metro for failing to fix malfunctioning radio equipment and failing to shut off power to the third rail in a timely manner.
Apart from Glover’s lawsuit, more than 60 other lawsuits from passengers stuck on the affected trains have been filed against WMATA.
“As a direct and proximate result of Defendant WMATA’s negligence, Ms. Glover was trapped, helpless, in Train 302 for nearly forty-five minutes as it filled with smoke,” the lawsuit reads. “During this time she fought, ever more agonizingly, to breathe as the smoke gradually sapped the life from her body.”
While WMATA is facing a mountain of lawsuits over the incident, investigators are still trying to figure out exactly what caused the “electrical arcing event.” Meanwhile, riders and lawmakers have raised serious concerns about the safety of Metro in light of the incident.
You can read the full complaint below:
