Two Metro riders in their 70s fell onto the tracks at the Gallery Place Metro station on Monday, apparently rescued by other riders.
The two were rescued from the Red Line tracks around 12:15 p.m., according to Metro.
The couple, both believed to be in their 70s, had serious but not life-threatening injuries, said D.C. Fire & EMS spokesman Pete Piringer. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
It was not immediately clear how they fell into the tracks – or how close the next train was to hitting them. Information also was not immediately available about who pulled them to safety, though one person reported that other riders rescued the pair.
Metro officials, though, don’t want to encourage riders to jump in to rescue riders after a fall.
“We would encourage people to seek assistance from the emergency callbox or from a Metro employee,” Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said.
Such falls are not infrequent — and sometimes have far more dire results. Accidental falls onto the tracks have killed at least four people on the system in just over two years.
But sometimes riders are saved in the nick of time. A Metro train operator saved a man’s life in November by stopping her train. Another rider who fell was saved by a visiting police officer during President Obama’s 2009 inauguration.
