Image by angela n. used with permission.

Fire extinguishers will soon no longer be available for riders to use on Metro's fleet of rail cars. Some riders keep spraying them in the cars, so the agency says they’re being removed in order to reduce abuse.

@Metrorailinfo Looks like someone abused the fire extinguisher in Car 7341. Red Line to Glenmont, now at Gallery Place. #WMATA pic.twitter.com/tNs9o7aAM3 — Adam Bearne (@adambearne) May 14, 2018

Metro railcars typically have at least one fire extinguisher accessible to riders in that car in case of emergency. A change enacted several months ago but just coming to light now means those extinguishers are going away, and the agency is limiting extinguisher access to employees only.

#wmata confirms fire extinguishers in railcars have been removed to reduce vandalism and unwanted extinguisher discharge, but all cars still have one available. Says local fire departments were consulted/notified prior to the change. pic.twitter.com/Tdexy3mvsr — Metro Reasons (@MetroReasons) December 18, 2018

Twitter user HeadwaysMatter, who keeps track of fire extinguishers set off in railcars, noted 32 such vandalism incidents during 2018 between April and December, primarily on 7000-series cars. Rail Transit OPS first noted the policy change yesterday on Twitter.

In an emailed statement, Metro spokesperson Ron Holzer noted that ‘incidents of vandalism’ was a primary reason to remove the extinguishers from public access. Holzer added that the agency “remains in full compliance with all current fire safety standards, and these changes were reviewed by the region's fire chiefs prior to implementation.“

Are the extinguishers of limited use?

Metro downplayed the need for extinguishers in its railcars, saying “There has not been a single documented case of a passenger using a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose in at least five years (as far back as such records go).”

Metro procedures regarding track fires also limit the efficacy of fire extinguishers. An electrical track fire typically indicates that the train power source—the third rail—is providing energy and allowing the fire to continue.

Instead of extinguishing the track fire and potentially putting an employee into danger, Metro and its Rail Operations Control Center typically attempt to remove trains from the area of fire so they can then shut down the third rail. By removing the power source, many of the system’s electrical fires extinguish themselves.

Metro Reasons is a regular breaking news, investigative reporting, and analysis column by Stephen Repetski about everything Metro. Please send tips to Metro Reasons.