The Management of Arcelor Mittal Liberia has temporarily suspend its rail activities following the derailing of its train in Zuluyee Town Nimba County over the weekend.
A train belonging to the world giant steel company carrying sixty six wagons (train buckets) loaded with Iron Ore derailed on Saturday June 13, 2020 at about 4: 15 AM between Sanniquellie and Gompa while enroute from the Mount Gangara in Nimba to the port city of Buchana Grand Bassa County.
According to Liberia Public Radio reporter in Nimba who visited the scene said that several of the wagons that got derailed were partially damaged as some left on the train and were transported to Buchanan.
In a Press release issued Sunday June 13, 2020 by the company, it disclosed that the derailment caused an extensive damage to the railroad, something that cause the company to temporarily suspend the transportation of ore from Nimba to Buchanan.
The release said that there was no injuries or serious damage done to the environment as a result of the accident.
Arcelor Mittal Liberia has not establish the actual cause of the derailment, the company says it has commenced an investigation to establish if there was possible mechanical fault or malfunction on any of the Wagons that led to the accident.
The release further mentioned that in order to restore operations as soon as possible, it’s engineers are working on the rail, noting that they are taking all necessary safety and Covid 19 precaution for employees and the local community, as well as protecting the environment.
The June 13, 2020 derailment brings to two the number of similar accident the company had experienced in less than four years.
It can be recalled on August 2, 2016, a train belonging to the company transporting Ore from Tokadeh in Nimba to Buchanan derailed in LAMCO Camp in Bong County causing losses to the Company.
Meanwhile, a prominent son of Zuluyee Town where the train derailed had attributed the derailment of Mittal train to what he described as “poor Maintenance’ of the railroad by the company.
Mr. Roger Kwitee in and interview with Jerry T. Myers Bush Chicken Nimba Correspondent recalled that during the days of LAMCO, they saw routine maintenance on the track carry out by the company.
Mr. Kwitee observed that the train derailed because most of the logs on which the railroad was constructed on are all rotten, thus calling on the world gaint steal company to rebuild the entire track from Yekepa to Buchanan to avoid the reoccurance of such ugly situation.
“This is the first time citizens of Zuluyee Town are witnessing the derailment of train since LAMCO started operating in the county in the 60s”.
He narrated that the railroad was constructed by LAMCO in the 60s noting that if the derailment had happened in the day, it could have been disastrous since many of the citizens are normally seen along the track.
Kwitee said the derailment has render it difficult for them to get to their respective farms on the other side of the track because the Wagons have blocked their way.
