Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 13, 2008

Dupont Circle Metrorail Station Closed Due to Power Outage

Dupont Circle Metrorail station closed at 9:25 a.m. today due to a Pepco power outage downtown that could not provide electricity to the station’s lengthy escalators. Dupont Circle’s longest escalators, at Connecticut Avenue and Q Streets, NW, are 188 feet long.

While trains can serve the Red Line station, the escalators are extremely long, and customers were experiencing difficulty exiting, so officials closed the station for safety reasons. Trains will pass through Dupont Circle and not stop there.

Free shuttle buses will be operating from Woodley Park to Farragut North to get people around the problem.

A Pepco power problem in downtown Washington has affected five Metrorail stations, which are currently operating on emergency lighting. The problem is not affecting train service.

Shaw-Howard, Farragut North, Farragut West, McPherson Square and Dupont Circle Metrorail stations are significantly darker than usual. Escalators, elevators, fare gates and vending machines at those stations are not operating.

Earlier this morning, a small fire on the Red Line track at Metro Center headed in the direction of Glenmont caused major delays to riders. The fire was reported at 7:24 a.m., and initially trains were single-tracking around the incident. No trains moved through the station for a short time while fire officials were on the tracks, however train service resumed on both tracks at 8:30 a.m.

The fire, which took place at the height of rush hour, caused delays of up to 60 minutes for some riders.

It is not yet known if the power problem and fire are related.

News release issued at 9:42 am, June 13, 2008.