A Metro train derailed at the West Hyattsville Station and passengers had to be evacuated during Friday afternoon’s rush hour.
The derailment was reported on the Green Line around 4:45 p.m. Metro officials said. The last three cars of the train derailed as the train was going through an underground tunnel, according to Prince George’s County fire department spokesman Mark Brady.
Approximately 55 passengers had to be evacuated from the train. No injuries were immediately reported.
It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment or if the region’s ongoing heatwave played a part, Metro spokesman Philip Stewart said.
Intense heat can cause rails to buckle, leading to derailments.
As a precaution that high temperatures may have played a part in this derailment, trains traveling above ground were slowed to 35 miles per, Mr. Stewart said.
As officials continued to clear the scene, Metro suspended train transit between the Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza stations and was operating shuttle buses in its place.
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Andrea Noble is a crime and public safety reporter for The Washington Times. She can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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