A mystery fire on Tuesday evening gutted one of the newly-procured Warri-Itakpe standard gauge train coaches, HSENations can report.
Footage that circulated on social media showed some persons believed to be Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) workers battling the fire with leaves, blankets and other matters due to the non-availability of fire extinguishers onboard the train.
Nigerian Tribune quoted a staff of the corporation as saying that the cause of the fire was unknown.
The staff, who craved anonymity, noted that the affected train was one of new ones that run scheduled trips between Warri and Itakpe.
“Most of the train coaches don’t have fire extinguishers. So the workers used what was available to them as of the time of the incident and they were able to quench the inferno even though a substantial part of the coach was burnt,” the anonymous staff was quoted to have said.
Spokesman of the NRC, Mr. Mahmood Yakub confirmed the incident.
He added that MD of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, would address the media on cause of the fire before end of Wednesday.
