Metro said Friday that an arrest has been made in connection with an alleged arson on the Orange Line.
At the Metro Board meeting Thursday, the agency said the Metro Transit Police worked with D.C. Fire and EMS arson investigators to identify Ryan Jones, 35, as the suspect.
Metro officials said Jones set a seat on fire on a train as it pulled into the Eastern Market station Sept. 9. The station was evacuated and temporarily shut down.
Jones was seen leaving an apartment in Hyattsville, Maryland, Wednesday morning and boarding a Metrobus, Metro said. Jones was taken into custody – with the help of a U.S. Marshals task force – while the bus was stopped near the Capitol Heights station.
Fonda Moore, the train operator involved in the Orange Line incident, was honored at Metro’s board meeting Thursday. She was praised for quickly evacuating the train and putting out the fire.
“She put her extensive safety training to good use, and helped prevent what otherwise could have been a much more dire situation,” said Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg. On social media, “multiple commenters called her a hero, which she is,” he said.
Moore had to be taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, Metro said.
Trains on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines had to single-track between Federal Center Southwest and Stadium-Armory and bypass Eastern Market station for about two hours.
WTOP’s Jack Moore contributed to this report.
