Norton Secures NTSB Briefings for Members and for Staff on Monday’s Metro Incident
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), ranking member of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, today said that Norton had requested a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) staff briefing, which occurred this afternoon, and a regional member briefing, which will take place Wednesday, January 21st, at a location to be determined, on Monday's Metro incident. NTSB promised to expedite its preliminary report in fewer than the usual 30 days. The Congresswoman expressed her condolences to the family of Carol Glover, an Alexandria resident, who lost her life in one of the underground subway cars.
"Smoke arising in a closed space like a subway car within a virtually closed tunnel at a Metro hub, where five different lines meet, was the very definition of a perfect storm at L'Enfant Plaza Station yesterday," said Norton. "Incidents on subway tracks are not uncommon or unavoidable, but shutting down the third rail quickly to allow evacuation of passengers and workers by first responders and keeping information flowing to trapped riders are mandatory. We have no information that Metro itself is unsafe, and I believe Metro has improved since we lost nine residents in the 2009 Metro crash. I expect our NTSB briefing next Wednesday to provide the first guidance for remedial action."