A fire inside a tunnel near the Foggy Bottom Metro Station early Thursday morning caused major disruptions across three Metrorail lines and led to the temporary closure and evacuation of the station.
The fire, reported shortly after 6 a.m., halted train service between McPherson Square and Clarendon/Arlington Cemetery on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. Metro initially received reports of smoke in the Foggy Bottom station before confirming the presence of a fire in the nearby tunnel. D.C. Fire and EMS responded quickly and worked alongside Metro personnel to contain the incident. No injuries have been reported.
Station closed, then reopened
Foggy Bottom station was evacuated and closed during the emergency response but reopened around 8:15 a.m. after fire crews completed inspections and cleared the scene. Trains were also temporarily not running between Farragut West and Rosslyn as a precaution while safety checks were conducted.
Alternative transport arranged
Metro deployed shuttle buses to bridge the gap in service between the affected stations. Shuttle service operated between McPherson Square, Farragut West, Foggy Bottom, Rosslyn, Courthouse, and Clarendon. Additional personnel were stationed at each stop to assist commuters.
In addition, Metrobus routes offered alternate connections:
A58 connected Farragut West to Clarendon
D10 ran between McPherson Square and Foggy Bottom
Service modifications
While fire crews and Metro technicians worked to restore normal operations, Silver Line trains were limited to running only between Ashburn and Ballston.
Investigation underway
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials have not disclosed any structural damage to the tunnel or station infrastructure.
Commuters are advised to check the Metro website or app for real-time updates as crews continue safety inspections and work to fully restore train service.