Smoke Briefly Closes Metro Stations

Metro closed two stations on the Orange and Blue Lines for about an hour this afternoon after a train operator reported seeing smoke in the tunnel between Smithsonian and Federal Triangle stations, officials said. Smithsonian and Federal Triangle stations were closed at 4:07 p.m., a busy time when federal workers were heading home, and were reopened with normal service at 5:01 p.m., officials said. Metro's Web site reported continued delays for about forty minutes after the stations reopened, but canceled the alert shortly before 6 p.m.

Metro and D.C. fire personnel responded and inspected the tracks but do not yet know the source of the smoke, said Metro's chief operating officer for rail, Steve Feil. "We're not sure if this was a report of brake dust or real smoke," he said.

While the stations were closed, trains were turned back at Metro Center and at L'Enfant Plaza, and officials used nine shuttle buses to transport passengers between those two locations.