Rhode Island Ave Metro station closed through Friday after debris falls for 2nd straight day

WASHINGTON - For the second time in two days, falling debris at the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metro station is affecting rail service.

Metro said the station will be closed through Friday for inspections after small pieces of concrete fell from the ceiling at around 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Trains bypassed the station for the remainder of the day while shuttle service was provided for passengers.

A Metro spokesperson said Thursday's incident happened in a different area about 20 feet away from where debris fell Wednesday night and it does not appear to be a structural problem.

The Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood station was also temporarily closed Wednesday night after metal and concrete debris fell from the ceiling at around 8:30 p.m. Repairs were made overnight and the station was able to open on time Thursday morning.

No injuries were reported in both incidents over the last two days.

In a separate incident along Metrorail tracks, a switch malfunction early Thursday morning caused delays along the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. Train service between McPherson Square and Smithsonian was suspended around 5:30 a.m. and shuttle buses were brought in and used to move passengers between stops. Service between the stations was restored at around 6:20 a.m.

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