The Pentagon Metro station has reopened after flooding from a suspected water main break swamped the stop Wednesday morning, forcing some riders to slosh through inches of murky water. Hours later, around 2:45 p.m., Metro tweeted that the station had reopened. Earlier, trains were bypassing the station, and Metro ran shuttle buses from Pentagon City to route riders around the closed station. At its highest, there were about 5 inches of standing brown water on the mezzanine level of the station Wednesday morning, said Metro spokesman Dan Stessel. The cause was a break in a Metro water line, according to the Arlington Department of Environmental Services. Stessel referred to it as a water main and said it was about 12-18 inches in diameter. The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission said Wednesday it has ordered an investigation into the the flooding at the Pentagon station.
Update 9:08am: Pentagon Metro station is closed while crews investigate the source of an apparent water main break. pic.twitter.com/089kQWDOyi
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 27, 2019
Update 9:40am: Crews have determined that the break is in a private @wmata water line. The water flow is now reportedly stopped in the station. Arlington staff will be available to assist with any County feed lines.
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 27, 2019
People shared footage and photos of commuters sloshing through murky water near the fare gates earlier Wednesday. One commuter decided that walking barefoot through the water was the right choice.
ARE YOU SERIOUS RN @wmata ??!? pic.twitter.com/hPxOQifKlW
— 🎄🎁 Cindy Lew Hew 🎁 🎄 (@cacaobunni) November 27, 2019
They really walking barefoot in it I’m sick 🤢🤮 pic.twitter.com/LmvAEC9exZ
— 🎄🎁 Cindy Lew Hew 🎁 🎄 (@cacaobunni) November 27, 2019
This Zamboni-like equipment is what Metro is using to clear the water off the mezzanine level of the Pentagon station. pic.twitter.com/Q2Uo9QIxbL
— Megan Cloherty (@ClohertyWTOP) November 27, 2019
WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report from Arlington, Virginia.