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Report: Metro Not Well Equipped For Tunnel Fire

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Metro report says that some water pipes needed in emergencies to put out fires in the system's tunnels weren't designed to carry adequate water pressure.

The report says the red, green and orange lines are affected by the problem and that the ability to fight fires in an emergency is reduced, though not eliminated. The transit agency estimates about 8 percent of the pipes used in emergencies are effected, most of them in Washington.

A metro spokeswoman says work is under way to correct the problem. Making the fixes will cost $6.2 million and take three years.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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