Metro Trains Delayed After Man Pulls Emergency Switch on Train Leaving L'Enfant Plaza

A man pulled an emergency lever on a Green Line Metro train Tuesday evening after missing his stop, delaying commuters during rush hour.

At about 5 p.m., the man, who was traveling with his young child, wanted to exit at L'Enfant Plaza but didn't make it off the train in time, Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly confirmed.

The man then pulled the emergency lever rather than get off at the following stop, halting the six-car Greenbelt-bound train as it was leaving L'Enfant Plaza.

Most of the cars had already traveled into the tunnel, with just the last car still on the platform. 

A video released Thursday shows the train slowing and then stopping. In the video, a man and child are seen running from the train as soon as the doors open.

The incident left commuters stranded while police investigated. 

A Metro official said their standard operating procedure in these situations requires officers to ensure that the tunnels and any other restricted areas are secure. They also must walk around the exterior of the train to ensure no one is on the track bed. 

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The incident caused additional delays after a previous signal problem at L'Enfant Plaza also slowed down commuters. Metro said the combination of the two incidents led to major crowding on platforms.

Residual delays and crowded conditions continued on the Blue, Green and Yellow lines until about 7:30 p.m., Metro said.

Officials said Thursday that the man has been questioned by police and released.

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