Washington’s central L’Enfant Plaza Metro station was evacuated Monday afternoon in a smoke incident that local firefighters are calling a “mass casualty incident.”
Service on the Green and Yellow lines was suspended after smoke filled the station, and the station was evacuated, Metro officials said.
Witnesses told local news that they were unable to see due to a smoke outbreak in the station, which is south of Capitol Hill. Another Metro Station, at Rosslyn in Virginia, is also reported to be the site of a firefighter response to smoke reports at an electrical room.
The source of the smoke at L’Enfant has not been determined, Metro said.
Mass Casualty incident declared at L’Enfant Metro Station.
— DC Fire Fighters L36 (@IAFF36) January 12, 2015
In subsequent tweets, DC Firefighters L36 explained that the term “mass casualty incident” describes situations in which extra rescue resources are called for.
Although the incident on the national capital’s subway system comes as nerves are on edge over Islamist terror attacks from France to Nigeria, the Orange and Blue line trains are still running through L’Enfant without stopping, suggesting that the danger is considered to be limited.
