Carcinogenic Diesel Fumes in Enclosed Metro Stations and Tunnels

Washington D.C. Metro (WMATA) runs diesel-powered work trains in its underground stations and tunnels (often merely idling, which appears unnecessary) to do routine scheduled repair work, during the normal hours of operation when the system is being used by the public. The result is a heavy concentration of diesel fumes in enclosed areas which were not designed to, and are not capable of, providing adequate ventilation to prevent accumulation of the fumes to unsafe levels. Diesel exhaust fumes are carcinogenic and toxic. Metro provides no notice or warning of these incidents or of its policy, custom, or practice of exposing both the public and its workers to this hazardous condition.