[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 112 (Thursday, June 11, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33296-33297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14259]


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NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD


Investigative Hearing

    On Tuesday, June 23, 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board 
(NTSB) will convene a two-day investigative hearing to gather 
additional factual information for the ongoing investigation of the 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Metrorail (WMATA) train 
302 that encountered heavy smoke in the tunnel between the L'Enfant 
Plaza Station and the Potomac River Bridge on January 12, 2015. The 
NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart will preside over the investigative 
hearing. The Board of Inquiry consists of Chairman Hart, Vice Chairman 
Dinh-Zarr and Members Sumwalt and Weener.
    On January 12, 2015, about 3:15 p.m. eastern standard time, 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail train 
302 stopped after encountering an accumulation of heavy smoke while 
traveling southbound in a tunnel between the L'Enfant Plaza Station and 
the Potomac River Bridge. After stopping, the rear car of the train was 
about 386 feet from the south end of the L'Enfant Plaza Station 
platform.
    A following train, stopped at the L'Enfant Plaza Station at about 
3:23 p.m., and was also affected by the heavy smoke. This train stopped 
about 100 feet short of the south end of the platform. Passengers of 
both trains, as well as passengers on the station platforms, were 
exposed to the heavy smoke.
    Both Metrorail trains involved in this incident consisted of six 
passenger cars and were about 450 feet in length. As a result of the 
smoke, 86 passengers were transported to local medical facilities for 
treatment; another nine people sought medical attention. There was one 
passenger fatality.
    The investigative hearing will discuss the following issue areas:
     State of WMATA's Infrastructure;
     Emergency Response Efforts;
     WMATA's Organizational Culture; and
     Federal Transit Administration and Tri-State Oversight 
Committees Efforts for Public Transportation safety.
    Parties to the hearing will include the Federal Transit 
Administration, WMATA, Tri-State Oversight Committee, Amalgamated 
Transit Union, International Association of Fire Fighters, and District 
of Columbia (DC) Emergency Services, which includes three DC 
departments.
    At the start of the hearing, the public docket will be opened. 
Included in the docket are photographs, interview transcripts, and 
other documents.

Order of Proceedings

1. Opening Statement by the Chairman of the Board of Inquiry
2. Introduction of the Board of Inquiry and Technical Panel
3. Introduction of the Parties to the Hearing
4. Introduction of Exhibits by Hearing Officer
5. Overview of the incident and the investigation by Investigator-In-
Charge
6. Calling of Witnesses by Hearing Officer and Examination of Witness 
by Board of Inquiry, Technical Panel, and Parties
7. Closing Statement by the Chairman of the Board of Inquiry

    The hearing docket is DCA15FR004.
    The Investigative Hearing will be held in the NTSB Board Room and 
Conference Center, located at 429 L'Enfant Plaza E, SW., Washington, 
DC, on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 and Wednesday, June 24, 2015, beginning 
at 9:00 a.m. The public can view the hearing in person or by live 
webcast at www.ntsb.gov. Webcast archives are generally available by 
the end of the next day following the hearing, and webcasts are 
archived for a period of 3 months from after the date of the event.
    Individuals requiring reasonable accommodation and/or wheelchair 
access directions should contact Ms. Rochelle Hall at (202) 314-6305 or 
by email at [email protected] by Friday, June 19, 2015.
    NTSB Media Contact: Mr. Peter [email protected]

[[Page 33297]]

    NTSB Investigative Hearing Officer: Dr. Kristin Poland_
[email protected].

Candi R. Bing,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-14259 Filed 6-10-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7533-01-P