Extreme heat warps rail, derailing Metro train near D.C.

A Washington Metro train derailed near College Park, Maryland, after extreme heat reportedly caused a rail to kink, forcing 11 passengers to evacuate and disrupting service on the Green Line, officials said. One adult male was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

The incident happened at about 11:50 a.m. Saturday near the 4900 block of Calvert Road in College Park, according to the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. Fire crews responded to the Metro rail line and found a train that had derailed.

Metro said all 11 passengers on board were safely evacuated. Fire officials initially said three people were evaluated, but later said one patient refused transport and one adult male was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

A preliminary investigation found that extreme heat caused a rail heat kink, which derailed the wheels of a 6-car train, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Metro said crews would remove the train overnight to ensure the safety of workers and passengers.

Service on the Green Line was reduced to single tracking between West Hyattsville Crossing and College Park, which Metro said would continue through the end of service Saturday.

Metro also reduced speeds to 35 mph on aboveground tracks across the system because of the elevated temperatures, citing its standard operating procedure.