Metro Update: All Emergency Repairs to Cables Completed

The nightmare is over for D.C.-area commuters, at least for now: Metro has confirmed that all emergency cable repairs have been completed in its rail system, which reopened this morning.

A Monday cable fire near McPherson Square that was similar to a fatal fire last year at L'Enfant Plaza prompted Metro to shut down the entire rail service on Wednesday to make an emergency inspection. They identified 26 locations where jumper cables and connector boots were damaged and needed to be repaired or replaced out of about 600 cables in the underground portion of the system. Repairs to all 26 locations have been completed, Metro spokesperson Sherri Ly confirmed.

Metro reopened at 5 a.m. Thursday morning after a nightmare scenario where all 91 stations were closed to allow for emergency inspections Wednesday. A Metrorail service update issued Wednesday evening indicated that all but four locations had been repaired as of 9 p.m. with repairs on the remaining locations underway, but those have been repaired as well now.

Now that the repairs have been finished, Metro begins the long process of conducting a detailed investigation into the damaged boots and cables. Officials will share the findings with the Federal Transit Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.