Tuesday, June 23, 2009

9 Fatalities Confirmed in D.C. Metro Crash


Two of 76 injured in critical condition, mayor says; cause remains unclear.
WASHINGTON-(LA TIMES) Nine fatalities have been confirmed in the worst accident in the history of Washington's Metro subway system, authorities said Tuesday morning.
The updated casualty count came after rescue workers toiled through the night and into daylight this morning near the D.C.-Maryland line, where a Metro train rear-ended a stopped train during Monday evening's rush hour.
The victims included seven women and two men, all adults, according to Candace Smith, a Metro spokeswoman. Smith said around 11:15 a.m. that recovery operations have concluded; five bodies were recovered Monday and four more on Tuesday, she said.
Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said that two people remain in critical condition at local hospitals. A total of 76 people were treated at local hospitals. A third injured passenger has been upgraded from critical condition, the mayor said at a morning news conference not far from the crash site.
Debbie Hersman, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, said the crash-worthiness of subway train cars has been a concern of the NTSB for some time.
Investigators plan to interview survivors, check train maintenance records and look at Metro's training operations as part of its investigation, according to Hersman.

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