Eleven passengers were evacuated and one person was hospitalized after a Metrorail train derailed outside College Park on Saturday, officials said.
Emergency services responded to the 4900 block of Calvert Road just before noon, according to the Prince George County Fire/EMS Department. In a preliminary investigation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said extreme heat was the cause of a “rail heat kink that derailed the wheels of a 3000 series six-car train.”
“Crews will remove the train overnight to ensure the safety of our team and customers,” the post said, adding that speeds were reduced to 35 mph on aboveground tracks.
Three people were evaluated at the scene, and one man was transported to a hospital, the fire department said. Another person refused transport.
Metrorail trains were delayed in both directions following the derailment. Trains were slowed throughout the day due to speed restrictions and heat-related inspections, according to WMATA.
Temperatures and the heat index, which measures how it feels outside, will break triple digits for the third day in a row, according to the National Weather Service, which issued an extreme heat warning for much of the state Saturday. The high temperature will be 102 in the Baltimore area but it will feel like 111 degrees, weather service data shows.
This story has been updated.
Comments
Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines.