Metro Subway Trains Collide in D.C.

During my visit to Washington D.C. in 2005 my family rode the Washington Metro a bunch of times. It was a very convenient way to get to the various places we needed to visit.

Today things went terribly wrong:

One Metro train smashed into the back of another at the height of the Monday evening rush hour, killing at least four people and injuring scores of others as cars from the trailing train jackknifed into the air and fell atop the first.

One of the fatalities was a female train operator, Metro officials say. The woman's name has not been released.

D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin says 70 people are injured. Of those, two people have life-threatening injuries and 50 fell into the "walking wounded" category of injuries.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier says people who believe their loved ones were on the train can call 202-727-9099.

"It looks to be the worst Metro accident in D.C. history," D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty says.

Metro General Manager John Catoe says it appears one of the trains was stopped on the tracks awaiting permission to pass when another train came up behind it and slammed into the back of the train.

"I give my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives today," Catoe says.

Missed signal or a missed track switch? Somebody or something screwed up.