The Washington Times picked up what may become an emerging angle from the Metro Crash---the tensions between WMATA and the D.C. Fire Department. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin basically called out WMATA for initially downplaying the extent of the crash. The Times writes:

"Fire officials stated bluntly Monday night that Metro's original description of the accident understated its magnitude, and it was only when the first rescuers arrived at the scene that the sort of help needed was finally summoned.

'A little after five o'clock we responded to what was believed to be a small incident,' D.C. Fire Chief Dennis L. Rubin said. 'The first arriving company recognized the fact that apparently two trains had collided.' Fire officials eventually sounded three alarms, summoning hundreds of rescuers and implementing their mass- casualty operations."

It's unclear whether rescue work was delayed as a result or whether WMATA or 911 dispatchers made errors in communicating the severity of the crash. "[The Office of Unified Communications] is not under our purview," explains Deputy Fire Chief Kenneth Crosswhite. "We're not responsible for OUC....I would be curious to hear what the first 911 call was reporting."

Fire Department Spokesperson Alan Etter refused to say when the department sounded three alarms and summoned all those rescue workers. "It was an evolving event---resources were called as they were needed," he stated in an e-mail to City Desk. "In other words, nobody jumped up and said---this is a third alarm incident---at the height of involvement we had an equivalent of three alarms on scene---more than 200 personnel--with mutual aid, etc."

The department's own notification records point to such a response. It's unclear whether or not that response was timely.

Read More "One Emerging Angle: Was The Fire Department Properly Notified Of Metro Crash?" »

WaPo's Dr. Gridlock blogged the identities of seven of the nine who died in yesterday's Red Line crash:

• Jeanice McMillan, 42, of Springfield (train operator)

• Major General David F. Wherley, Jr., former commanding general, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard, and his wife Ann, both 62
• Lavonda King, 23
• Dennis Hawkins, 64
• Mary Doolittle, 59
• Anna Fernandez, 40

Per Cherkis, per WTOP, as well, with more on where they lived and one alternate spelling (Lavanda King).

Councilmember Phil Mendelson put out a statement about the Wherleys:

Read More "Seven Metro Crash Victims Identified" »

WMATA on Twitter from nine minutes ago:

"Red Line: Trains are turning back at Rhode Island Avenue & Silver Spring due to a situation outside of Fort Totten station. Shuttle bus ser"

Read More "WMATA Twitter Dubs Metro Crash ‘A Situation’" »

The Washington Post is reporting that the metro car involved in the Red Line crash yesterday was due for brake maintenance. The Post writes:

"The Metro train car that slammed into another on the Red Line yesterday evening was two months past due for scheduled maintenance on its brakes, and the car was an older model that federal officials had recommended be replaced because of concerns about its safety in a crash, officials said today....

According to a Metro source knowledgeable about railcar maintenance, the first car of the striking train was two months behind on a scheduled maintenance for changing out brakes and brake components."

Read More "Metro Crash Train Was Due For Brake Fix; Names Of Some Dead Released" »

So how did the Red Line metro crash death toll jump to nine last night then fall back to seven this morning and then back up to nine? Last night, City Desk reported that three news outlets---WUSA9, WTOP, and WJLA---had confirmed that nine had died in the crash. WTOP cited the D.C. Fire Department as its source. WJLA had cited Metro.

This morning, Fenty stated that the number of confirmed dead was actually seven. That number soon increased back up to nine.

At least one fire department official is trying to figure out how and why there was so much confusion. One reporter City Desk contacted speculates that it may have to do with just the gruesomeness of the scene.

Read More "Metro Crash Death Count: WTF" »

Fire Chief Dennis Rubin with Adrian Fenty at a press conference yesterday

Fenty is expected to make remarks on the red line crash this morning at 8:00 a.m. We'll be live-blogging the press conference here.

8:01 a.m. Mayor Adrian Fenty, Fire Chief Dennis Rubin, Councilmember Jim Graham step up.

8:02 a.m. Fenty says he wants the country to know that his first efforts are with the families and friends of the victims. 76 people were taken off of the train to the hospital. Yesterday, six were confirmed dead. This morning, the number of confirmed dead is seven. Not nine as previously reported.

Read More "Fenty Press Conference #3: Liveblog" »

WUSA is reporting that nine people have died from this evening's Metro crash:

"9NEWS NOW has confirmed there are nine dead from the collision, and officials say there are 67 people injured. The Fire Department Chief said that up to six of those people sustained life-threatening injuries, another 14 have less threatening injuries and more than 50 people have what officials call 'walking injuries.'"

WTOP confirms nine dead.

The New York Times has President Obama's statement on the crash:

“Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in Northeast Washington, D.C., today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives. My staff has been in touch with Mayor Fenty’s office and will continue to monitor the situation.”

As of midnight, both the Times and the Washington Post have yet to report on the increased fatalities.

WJLA now confirms that nine passengers have died. Its source: Metro.

"The official death toll rose to nine from six about 11:30 p.m., Metro confirmed.

Crews will remain on the scene overnight, using cutting tools and the jaws of life to disentangle and separate the twisted cars which were ripped open and smashed together by the force of the collision."

Just after midnight, City Desk contacted D.C. Fire Department Deputy Chief Kenneth Crosswhite who says he called the command post regarding the death toll. He says the death toll is still listed at six. "They are still at six," Crosswhite says. "I don't know where they are coming up with that number."

Read More "Breaking: Nine Confirmed Dead In Red Line Metro Crash" »

At the early date, not quite four hours after this evening's deadly Red Line collision, there is little information to be had at this point about the type and age of the cars involved in the crash. [UPDATE, 9:05 P.M.: Metro General Manager John Catoe said in a press conference that the last car on the stopped train was a relatively new 5000-series CAF-built car; the lead car on the moving train was a 1000-series Rohr-built car---the oldest type in the system.] However, it is worth reviewing some historical criticism of the structural integrity of certain Metro cars levied in the past by the National Transportation Safety Board.

In January 1996, two trains collided at the Shady Grove station at between 22 and 29 mph; in that crash, the moving train "telescoped" 21 feet over the stationary train, "severely compromising the occupant volume of the striking car." Almost nine years later, in November 2004, a Red Line train, its operator asleep at the wheel, slid backward and struck a train stopped at the Woodley Park station---again, the moving train telescoped some 20 feet over the stopped one. According to the subsequent NTSB report [PDF], "Almost half of the passenger occupant volume of the striking car...was also severely compromised."

Today's crash, based on the extreme "telescoping" seen in photographs, seems to have taken place at higher speeds. But the survivability of the crash might have something to do with the type and age of the cars involved.

In response to NTSB questions about the 1996 incident, Metro conducted a review of its cars' structural strength. This is how the NTSB, in the wake of the 2004 crash, described the response:

Read More "Old Questions About Crashworthiness of Metro Cars" »

Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser is now being interviewed on WRC-TV about the deadly train crash on the Red Line. "We have seen the police department and the fire department respond in a very coordinated way," says the councilmember, who represents the area in which the collision occurred.

At this moment, Dr. Gridlock is in the vanguard of Washington Post coverage of this afternoon's train mishap in Northeast D.C. The item credits WJLA-TV and CNN for key facts on the accident.

Here's one commenter from the washingtonpost.com on the matter:

How is the Washington Post being scooped about a potentially serious metro rail collision? This happened about 45 minutes ago, and it's still in little print at the bottom of the Post web page. Come on guys. Surely you haven't all taken the buy out?

Comes this dispatch, via Dr. Gridlock:

A Red Line Metrorail train derailed at 5:10 p.m. approaching Fort Totten in the Shady Grove-bound side. Trains are turning back at Brookland and Takoma....Metro says that shuttle bus service has been requested to bridge the gap between Takoma and Brookland.

There are reports of injuries. Developing.

UPDATE, 5:35 P.M.: This seems quite a bit worse than a minor derailment. WJLA-TV reports:

Metro confirms two trains have collided on the Red Line between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations. It happened close to the Fort Totten station, a Metro spokesperson said.

D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter said one train was on top of the other train.

This is "developing into a mass casualty event," Etter said. "We're expecting a number of injuries. We're not aware of any fatalities at this point."

Update, 5:46 p.m.: ABC News/News Channel 8 is reporting one fatality. Reporter Brad Bell saw the fatality being taken from the accident scene. At least nine people injured. The fatality appears to be a male. Many passengers still stuck inside metro cars. Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter confirms one dead on WTOP.

Here is the official Metro alert:

"Metro reports that 2 train collided and one train is on top of the other train.  Metro reports massive injuries at this time. The green line and the red line are affected. Further information to follow."

It looks like the accident ocurred just beyond the Fort Totten stop.

Read More "Red Line Trains Collide Near Fort Totten: Deadliest Crash In Metro History" »

Good morning, City Desk readers. The one and only Ted Scheinman is chilling in the tropics this week, and yours truly has been tasked with turning regular Wednesday roundup into WTF?! Wednesday roundup. How about this weather, huh? Huh? The boss (as in, my boss) knows what I'm talking about. News and commentary about Phish, pot, Metro, and taxes, after the jump.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Washington Times “Owns” Chas Freeman Story" »

Good morning, City Desk readers. It's Libertarian Friday, are you ready to rage against the system? Great! Here's some news:

• Culture11, the conservative/libertarian Web magazine started by Conor Friedersdorf, Peter Suderman, Joe Carter, David Kuo, and James Poulos and based in Arlington, laid off its entire staff on Wednesday. According to Kuo: "We raised a certain amount of money last year predicated on the assumption we would raise more money...Then the fall’s fall occurred and we stretched money as long and far as we could without incurring any debts. With no new money in the door the board decided the most prudent thing to do was suspend business operations." Andrew Sullivan's eulogy for the magazine is especially touching.

Read More "Our Morning Round-Up: Culture11 Bites the Dust" »

DCist is reporting "insane lines" at Metro Center for those Obama SmarTrip cards. WTF? They don't even look that great. They look like something you'd buy in an Atlantic City gift shop.

Here's WMATA's sales pitch:

"A permanent, rechargeable Limited-Edition farecard to commemorate the Inauguration of Barack Obama. It works just like a regular SmarTrip® Card that can hold up to $300 in value to pay for fares on Metrorail and Metrobus and for parking fees at Metro-operated parking facilities. The card costs $10 and it comes with no value on the card. Value must be added to the card before use. Value can be added at any Metrorail station, at the farebox on any Metrobus and on all regional bus systems. Available for sale only while supplies last."

What's next? Limited-Edition Obama-themed jury-duty notices? Obama-themed parking tickets? Let's just name New York Avenue after Obama and call it a day.

WHYY reports on the baker's dozen of SEPTA officers (who, despite the sound of their organization's name, do not work for Philadelphia's water department) who've volunteered to help keep Metro safe during the Inaugapolypse. Apparently WMATA's paying for it.