121103 MRT coach catches fire
Philippines Nov 03 2012 “Other”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
MRT coach catches fire
Updated: 2012-11-04-12:00
MANILA, Philippines – The underside of a coach of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 where a bogey motor was located caught fire yesterday afternoon, scaring passengers and causing a 15-minute disruption of operations along EDSA.
Quezon City Fire Marshall Senior Superintendent Bobby Baruelo confirmed that the train’s coach caught fire before 4 p.m. at the Kamuning Station of the MRT.
Two fire trucks were sent to contain the fire and no one was hurt in the incident. An investigation is ongoing to determine what caused the fire.
Al Vitangcol, MRT general manager, said that ordinary wear and tear could have caused the short circuit of the motor, and responding maintenance personnel were able to isolate the affected bogey motor in the middle coach of the northbound three-car train.
He said that to ensure safety, the MRT management decided to order all trains of the line to unload their passengers during the check on the train that stopped for inspection at the GMA Kamuning station.
After a quick inspection, Vitangcol said the train resumed its run to the North Avenue depot, with only the affected middle coach left empty, and the first and third coaches allowed to carry passengers. Normal operations for the entire line resumed in 15 minutes.
Vitangcol, however, said that the MRT management will conduct further investigation on the short circuit of the bogey motor and they “are not ruling out sabotage.”
The MRT had changed its maintenance contractor last Oct. 20.
Vitangcol said that 70 to 80 percent of the employees of the previous maintenance contractor, TES Philippines, were absorbed by the new interim maintenance contractor, PH Trams, and there was the possibility that these employees are disgruntled over the changes. – With Reinir Padua
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Web Source: Philstar
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=866601&publicationSubCategoryId=63
Date: 04 Novemberber, 2012
Country: Philippines