Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 18, 2010

Metro inquiry finds Metro Red Line passenger died of natural causes

Incident took place on Monday

At approximately 3 p.m. on Monday, May 17, a Metrorail operator found an unconscious male aboard a train at the Shady Grove Metrorail station. The Montgomery County Fire Department was contacted and arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and pronounced the person deceased. The preliminary investigation indicates that the man likely died of natural causes.

The preliminary investigation by the Metro Transit Police Department determined the passenger boarded the inbound train at the Twinbrook Metrorail station, on Metro’s Red Line, at about 10:15 a.m. The train traveled to the Silver Spring Metrorail station and then returned to Shady Grove Metrorail station at 11:55 a.m.

Upon the train’s arrival at the Shady Grove Metrorail station, Metrorail personnel conducted a standard visual inspection of the train from the platform before moving the train to the Shady Grove Rail Yard and in doing so did not spot the man on board.

At 2:55 p.m., Metrorail personnel prepared the train for departure for afternoon rush hour service. While completing a pre-departure inspection of the train, as required by Metro operating rules, an operator found the man in the last car of the eight-car train. The operator reported to a supervisor that there was an unconscious man on board in need of medical attention.

As directed by supervisors, the operator moved the train to the Shady Grove Metrorail station to allow emergency responders easier access to the train and passenger. Rockville Fire Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived at approximately 3:30 p.m., followed by the Metro Transit Police Department and Montgomery Country Medical Examiner.

Metro did not receive any reports from other riders about the passenger.

In response to this incident and inquiry, Metro is reviewing all of its operating procedures related to the inspection of trains that are returned to rail yards following service.

The name of the deceased will not be released to respect the family’s privacy.

News release issued at 6:55 pm, May 18, 2010.