Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Fire Capitol Subway Sparks Evacuation Amid Rising Political Tensions
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – Capitol Hill — the U.S. seat of Congress and legislative center of American government — faced fresh drama Thursday when a small electrical fire broke out in the underground subway system connecting the Rayburn House Office Building to the U.S. Capitol, forcing evacuations.
Rayburn is one of the most critical congressional buildings, home to key committees, and the blaze briefly shut down the tunnel as firefighters raced to the scene.
Reporters were ushered off Capitol Plaza as smoke filled parts of the tunnel, with a Capitol Police officer warning: “There’s a fire down there, we can’t have you breathing smoke.”
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DC Fire and EMS) Department said the blaze was quickly extinguished; however, the tunnel remained closed while investigators examined the damage.
Two U.S. Capitol Police officers were transported to a hospital for evaluation after being exposed to smoke, authorities said. No passengers aboard the trolley were reported injured.
The fire occurred on the trolley line that shuttles lawmakers and staff between congressional office buildings and the Capitol — a system that has operated for decades beneath the seat of American democracy.
TENSIONS FLARE OVER VIDEO CONTROVERSY
The fire incident unfolded as tensions flared on Capitol Hill over a video released earlier Thursday by six Democratic lawmakers, who urged U.S. military personnel to “refuse illegal orders,” even if issued by President Donald J. Trump.
Trump reacted angrily on his Truth Social platform, writing that encouraging troops to defy orders was “punishable by death.”
House Democratic leadership condemned the lawmakers’ message and contacted Capitol Police to “ensure the safety” of members singled out in the president’s posts.
The fire, though unrelated, added to the sense of chaos gripping Congress as political divisions sharpened.
Witnesses on Capitol Hill posted video footage on social media showing a stationary trolley car in a smoke-filled tunnel, with scorch marks near the electrical line.
FOX 5 DC network reporter Allison Papson wrote on platform X that the incident “started with an electrical fire on the subway” and was extinguished using fire extinguishers before DC Fire and EMS crews arrived to conduct a safety investigation.
POLICE OFFICERS BEING EVALUATED
DC Fire and EMS said on X that two people were being evaluated for minor injuries — the two Capitol Police officers later taken to the hospital — but emphasized that no one riding the trolley was harmed.
Police briefly blocked access to the tunnel, and Independence Avenue was closed for several hours as emergency crews worked to ventilate the area.
By 6 p.m. local time, officials declared all smoke cleared, and emergency personnel began reopening the area to the public.
The cause of the electrical malfunction remained under investigation late Thursday, with Capitol maintenance crews inspecting the subway system.
Yet the incident did little to ease lawmakers’ appetite to battle over Trump administration policies, and political rhetoric in Washington continued to grow increasingly contentious.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A prominent Christian preacher and activist known for his anti-war views has died in Russian custody, Worthy News learned Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a blunt message to Iran on Monday: the United States will not accept any arrangement in which Tehran acts as gatekeeper to the Strait of Hormuz — demanding coordination, permission, or payment from vessels wishing to pass through what are, by international law, open waters.
Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has withdrawn an appeal against a court ruling rejecting his request to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, marking another setback in the long-running 1MDB corruption saga.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump said a shooting that disrupted the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner underscored what he called the urgent need for a controversial new White House ballroom.
A period of mourning continued Monday in southwestern Colombia after at least 20 people were killed in a bus bombing along a key highway, officials said, in one of the deadliest recent attacks in the volatile region.
A part of northern Japan was hit by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake while elsewhere in the region wildfires were burning through more than 1,600 hectares of forest as of Monday morning, authorities and witnesses said.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday to allow Texas to implement its revised congressional map, overturning a lower court decision that had blocked the plan over racial gerrymandering concerns.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com