Metro Nightmare: Chaos on Red Line After Fire, Crowds Stranded

UPDATE 10:18 AM: Metro says they've shut down the Red Line again between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place to "allow for track repairs at Metro Center."

WASHINGTON, DC — It was yet another black day for Metro Thursday morning, as a fire on the Red Line caused massive crowds to fill Metro Center and other stations, eventually prompting WMATA to ask riders to walk to a different station and pile onto buses.

Despite Metro's year-long SafeTrack effort to fix chronic safety problems throughout the system, there doesn't seem to be much slowdown in fire and other safety incidents throughout the system. In Thursday's incident, the fire department was called to a report of a fire at Metro Center, prompting WMATA to suspend train service entirely during rush hour in the heart of downtown D.C. between Gallery Place and Dupont Circle stations.

WMATA was once again forced to plead with riders to avoid using their service and instead walk to different stations or take buses.

"Customers should consider walking from Farragut North to Farragut West for alternate service via BL/OR/SV Lines," Metro tweeted shortly before 8 a.m. "Consider Metrobus alternates to avoid delays. Customers can exit any rail station within 15 min at no charge."

This resulted in what can only be described as chaos at Red Line stations. Pictures flooded social media showing dangerously crowded platforms and long lines flowing outside of Metro stations. Even CNN's Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper couldn't resist weighing in on the local transit system:

Hard to imagine a worse run public transportation system than DC Metro but I'm willing to be open minded about it
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 27, 2017

Here are some other pictures from this morning's incident on Twitter:

The scene on the Chinatown-Gallery place platform. SO many people. SO unsafe. NO announcement from @wmata as to what is going on :( pic.twitter.com/nklLn5Drct
— Laetitia-Laure (@laetitiabrock) April 27, 2017

Aaand now it becomes walk to work day #dupontcircle #wmata @unsuckdcmetro pic.twitter.com/kC4aRDTWkn
— Jessica (@jessydumpling) April 27, 2017

We are currently working with @wmata investigating report of possible smoke in tunnel between Metro Center & Farragut North Stations. pic.twitter.com/xfoyVZsfrQ
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) April 27, 2017

@unsuckdcmetro @AugensteinWTOP scene at DuPont Circle. Severe delay on redline. pic.twitter.com/Xrr0dwC6tB
— brian macian (@brianmacian) April 27, 2017

@unsuckdcmetro We were forced to evacuate Metro Center. Trains werent coming for 29 minutes. No ones saying anything. We're all confused. pic.twitter.com/VvkqTlu9rE
— MsChris (@BlurredXistence) April 27, 2017

Image via WMATA