The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has announced the resumption of passenger services on the Lagos Blue Line after operations were halted on Saturday, October 26, 2024, due to a fire triggered by a cable insulation failure.
The disclosure was contained in a statement by LAMATA’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kolawole Ojelabi, as seen on the Authority’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday evening.
The resumption of passenger operations follows the replacement of the burnt power cable supplying electricity to the tracks. Engineers began repairs on Saturday evening, immediately after the fire was extinguished, clearing the DRUPS (Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply) alarm and restoring power at the generation plant.
“The Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line from Marina to Mile 2 resumed passenger operations today after engineers restored power to the tracks,” the statement read in part.
It added, “The DRUPS (Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply devices) alarm has been cleared, and power has been restored at the generation plant. Following the outage on Saturday, passenger operations were halted to allow engineers access to the tracks to replace the burnt power cable.”
The statement highlighted that the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to promptly addressing faults on the line to minimize disruptions and ensure seamless service for commuters.
Backstory
Nairametrics reported that a fire broke out on the Lagos Blue Line tracks along the overhead Eko Bridge, inward Apongbon, Ijora Olopa, triggered by a spark from an electrical cable powering the train system.
According to LAMATA’s statement, the incident occurred around 3:48 PM due to a cable insulation failure, resulting in a fire along the guard rail.
Firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service swiftly extinguished the blaze.
LAMATA engineers immediately began repairs on the tracks, replacing the damaged cables and restoring power to the system.
While LAMATA initially projected that passenger operations would resume by Sunday morning, services eventually restarted Sunday evening after engineers completed the repairs and restored power to the generating plant.
What you should know
- The Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line is a 27-kilometer rail system connecting Marina to Okokomaiko, built in phases. The first 13-kilometer phase, spanning Mile 2 to Marina with five stations, is now operational.
- Powered by an independent plant, completed in March 2024, the line ensures uninterrupted service with a Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (DRUPS) system, supplementing the national grid via the Eko Electricity Distribution Company.
- Operated by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the Blue Line transported 583,000 passengers in its first four months, reaching over 1.6 million by September 2024, though still below the target of 150,000 daily riders.
- After three years of infrastructure evaluation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation recently granted Lagos a three-year operational license.
- LAMATA Managing Director, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, confirmed the second phase, also under CCECC, is slated for completion in 2027.
