Metro service in and around Arlington, Virginia, was halted Wednesday morning because of smoke inside a tunnel in one of the Metro tunnels, authorities said.
The Blue, Orange and Silver Lines were affected. Service on the Orange and Silver Lines was suspended between Clarendon and Foggy Bottom stations. Service on the Blue Line was halted between Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom.
The Arlington County Fire Department said on Twitter about 11 a.m. that crews were investigating the report of smoke in the tunnel near Court House station. By about 11:15 a.m., the fire department said the smoke was dissipating and that fire crews were working with Metro “to enter the tunnels and ensure conditions have improved before turning the scene over to Metro.”
Shortly after noon, Arlington Fire said the scene had “stabilized” and that crew members were working with Metro emergency personnel to “ensure track safety” before reopening the tracks.
Shortly before 1:40 p.m., Metro tweeted that service had been restored to the affected lines after being given the all-clear by the fire department.
In a statement, Metro spokeswoman Sherry Ly said the report of smoke came outside the Rosslyn station.
“The fire department cleared the scene after the smoke had dissipated and determined it to be a maintenance issue,” she said. “Upon inspection, a faulty insulator was identified and removed.”
