Photo by Tim.

The current top safety officer for Metro just submitted his resignation.

The news of Acting Chief Safety Officer Louis Brown stepping down was first reported by NBC4. Brown has been in the job since the previous chief safety officer resigned in early September. Metro announced a national search for a replacement in December.

Metro’s safety woes aren’t news to riders: the rail system just last week shut down for an entire day to conduct an emergency investigation into the cable fires that last year left one rider dead, and continue to affect the system. The investigation found more than two dozen other damaged areas, which have been repaired.

At a board meeting yesterday, there were few answers as to why the cable fires continue. Via WAMU:

“Either inspections weren’t done or they were done and missed major defects,” said Mort Downey, chairman of the WMATA board’s safety committee. “I have no confidence that being told it will be done has anything to do with seeing that it does get done. We seem to have a systemic problem.”

Brown’s last day will be April 22, according to NBC4.