WASHINGTON — For the second day in a row on Thursday, falling debris has closed the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station in Northeast D.C., and trains will continue to bypass the stop through the close of the station Friday.
The station closed for the rest of Thursday night and will remain closed at least through the end of the day on Friday for continued inspections, Metro announced. Free shuttle buses will be available between Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland stations on Friday.
In a tweet about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Metro said riders should expect delays on the Red Line in both directions and that shuttle buses would transport riders around the station.
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In the latest incident, concrete began falling from the mezzanine of the Metro station about 20 feet away from where a bracket came dislodged and fell onto the platform Wednesday night, a Metro spokeswoman told WTOP.
Metro had earlier said in a statement the bolts holding the bracket in place had deteriorated from exposure to the elements and salt used to keep the platform from getting icy. Metro officials said they shored up a similar bracket at the station but that neither were primary supports.
No injuries were reported in either incident. The spokeswoman said she didn’t know when the station would reopen.
According to a statement from Metro released Thursday night, a “third-party expert” will inspect the structure Friday.
Metro station managers are supposed to regularly inspect stations, platforms and tracks for problems, according to Metro policy. All stations also undergo yearly inspections.
WTOP’s Teta Alim contributed to this report.
