Deadly Subway Malfunction Leaves Many Unanswered Questions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Commuters are demanding information after an electrical malfunction filled a Washington subway tunnel with smoke, forcing hundreds to evacuate and sending dozens to the hospital.

Was the train's evacuation Monday unnecessarily delayed? Were passengers given the right information? And what caused the death of a female passenger? Authorities in the nation's capital had no immediate answers Tuesday.

At a news conference, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser declined to give details on how quickly the fire department responded, beyond saying firefighters got to the scene in their "customary" timeframe. City officials also declined to make the fire chief or the head of the city's 911 center available to answer questions.

Bowser said her administration is reviewing the response and will release its findings next week.

(Story by: Jessica Gresko, David Dishneau, The Associated Press)

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