Metro News Release

For immediate release: August 20, 2007

Fire in electrical room temporarily closes Wheaton Metrorail station

The Wheaton Metrorail station closed for approximately one hour this morning because of fire and smoke in an electrical room in the tunnel.

Metro closed the station at 9:50 a.m. as smoke emitting from the tunnel filled the station. The station reopened shortly before 11 a.m., though trains shared a single track until noon, causing delays on the eastern portion of the Red Line.

While the station was closed, Metro set up a free shuttle bus service to take passengers around the incident. A total of 16 Metrobuses ran between the Glenmont, Wheaton and Forest Glen Metrorail stations.

Montgomery County Fire Department and Metro personnel responded. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

News release issued at 12:00 am, August 20, 2007.