Photo by Marc

An unidentified man collapsed and died at Columbia Heights Metro station on Tuesday morning.

Metro spokesperson Richard Jordan told DCist that the victim collapsed from a pre-existing medical condition or injury at the station around 5 a.m. Transit police and medics initiated CPR, but “unfortunately, life-saving efforts were unsuccessful,” Jordan said.

The Metropolitan Police Department is conducting the death investigation because the man appeared to have been in medical distress before he arrived at the station. D.C. police spokesperson Karimah Bilal said officials are waiting for an autopsy report.

Riders at the station began tweeting about platform escalators being roped off and police and forensic officers on scene around 8:40 a.m. Police reportedly cleared the scene about two hours later.

Metrorail service was not interrupted.