The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said despite the fire that gutted a part of the train on the Warri-Itakpe train route, services will run normally.
A viral video showed some NRC staff battling to put out a raging fire on a train in that corridor.
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The Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, confirmed the fire incidence to our correspondent.
He, however, said the service would not be affected as the fire did not cause too serious a havoc to impact on the operations.
In a text message to respond to our correspondent’s enquiry, he said; “the guard of WITS 03 reported fire outbreak on CBX Power car and SP coach 00036.”
“The train was detached and brought to Agbor station. The affected coach and the CBX have also been brought to Agbor. Cause of the fire not known yet.”
He said no casualty was recorded, adding: “All the passengers are okay and the train dispatched to continue.”
When asked why the NRC staff were using leaves as opposed to fire extinguishers to put out the fire, he said the hand fire extinguishers at the stations were exhausted and they had to resort to self-help.
He said the handheld fire extinguishers are not designed to respond to such type of fire.
On whether there is backup fire capability at each station to augment what is on the train, he said the NRC has fire fighting equipment at each station but they cannot be moved on the rail tracks.
He explained that they haven’t been designed to be moved on tracks because fire incidences seldom happen on the coaches.
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