ARLINGTON, Va. — Riders who traveled through the Ballston Metro Station this summer are being told they could have possibly been exposed to toxic gas.
According to a report released Wednesday by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) on Twitter, on Aug. 11, toxic gas from overheated Metrorail batteries filled part of Ballston Station. These batteries, which support the uninterruptible power supply or UPS for the station's Train Control Room, boiled over due to improper charging.
Gas was then released into the station because of a faulty ventilation system, causing a fire alarm to sound, officials say.
Firefighters with Arlington County Fire responded to the affected station shortly after. At the station, they determined the fire alarm was due to gas coming from the battery room at the southeast end of the station.
Metrorail personnel who responded did not know about the battery safe switch outside the room that can be used to cut power. So, after forcing their way into the room, Arlington County Fire upgraded the response to a full hazmat response. This was 47 minutes after the initial alarm, according to WMSC.
At this point, riders were evacuated for their own safety and the station was closed. Officials say one train stopped at and serviced the station at this time, placing riders in hazardous conditions by potentially exposing them to the toxic gas.
WMSC claims Metrorail did not follow its emergency response process and information was not consistently and clearly shared.
An investigation into this incident revealed that Metrorail kept the UPS in service beyond the end of its useful life, allowing it to run to failure.
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