Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 26, 2005

Suspicious Package Impacts Blue and Orange Line Service This Morning

Portions of the Orange and Blue Lines were closed for 42 minutes, and the Smithsonian Metrorail station was closed for 13 minutes, while Metro Transit Police investigated a suspicious package on an Orange Line train this morning. Police determined that the package was not dangerous; it was a box with a computer part in it.

At 7:53 a.m., a customer reported a suspicious item on rail car number 4044 at Smithsonian, on the first-car of a six-car Orange Line train (train number 925) operating from Vienna/Fairfax-GMU to New Carrollton. The train was offloaded and as a precaution, the Smithsonian Metrorail station was closed for 13 minutes while Metro Transit Police investigated. After the initial inspection by Metro Transit Police, the train was moved from the main track into a side "pocket" track east of the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station.

The train was held outside the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station, away from downtown Washington. The Metro Transit Police Explosive Ordnance Detection Team requested a suspension of all Metrorail service at 8:47 a.m., between Eastern Market and Cheverly on the Orange Line, and between Eastern Market and Addison Road-Seat Pleasant on the Blue Line. Free shuttle bus service between these locations was established.

Seven Metrobuses were used to move 422 passengers between Eastern Market and Cheverly and Eastern Market and Addison Road-Seat Pleasant while rail service was temporarily suspended.

Significant delays were experienced throughout late morning rush period on the Blue and Orange Lines due to this incident.

At 9:25 a.m., the Metro Transit Police Department determined that the package was harmless and at 9:29 a.m., service resumed.

News release issued on September 26, 2005.