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WASHINGTON (AP) — A spokesman for Washington's Metro subway says a fire on the tracks that caused a station to be shut down briefly during Wednesday morning's rush hour was unrelated to a fire near the same location on Saturday.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel says Wednesday's fire at the Friendship Heights station was caused by a problem with a component that covers the electrified third rail. When those insulating pieces are damaged or worn out, electricity can escape and cause fires.
Saturday's fire, which prompted an evacuation of the same station, was caused by a foreign object touching the third rail.
Faulty power cables have been blamed for several fires on Metro over the past two years, including one in January 2015 that killed one passenger and sickened more than 80 others.
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