East Falls Church Train Derailment: Connolly Applauds Decision to Fire Metro Employees

FALLS CHURCH, VA -- Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th) applauded the decision by Metro Thursday to fire six employees after an investigation into a derailment at the East Falls Church Metro station.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced 28 personnel actions, including 6 terminations and 9 more pending:

"I applaud the tough decisions and decisive personnel actions by Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld," Connolly said in an announcement Thursday. "Accountability and commitment to safety must be the new the standard. This should serve as a clarion call to the workforce, from top-to-bottom, that the status quo is no longer acceptable."

Four track inspectors and two supervisors were fired, according to ABC7 News reporter Stephen Tschida.

Connolly has been greatly displeased by a recent report suggesting that Metro track inspectors falsified reports on the tracks outside the East Falls Church Metro station where a Silver Line train derailed this summer, and he recently told WTOP that people ought to lose their jobs.

Connolly said in the report that lying and falsifying records should result in immediate termination with no chance of appeal or arbitration.

Connolly praised Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld for making "tough decisions," but said the Metro board was "dysfunctional," according to the report.

Documents recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board indicated that Metro track inspectors may have falsified inspection reports, and they knew of track flaws long before the July 29 derailment outside the East Falls Church Metro station. The train derailed due to a "wide gauge," which is when the tracks widen and can't support the train because of deteriorated rail ties.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the crash, but it caused about $150,000 in damage.

Patch editor Dan Taylor contributed to this report.

PHOTO courtesy of WMATA