A video of an alleged fire outbreak in a coach of the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s Warri-Itakpe passengers train has been dismissed as false.
Several national newspapers have reported the alleged fire incident claimed to have happened at the Ujewu section of the Warri-Itakpe Rail corridor, with some noting that NRC has no fire-extinguisher to put off the fire.
Daily Trust newspaper had quoted the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, as having said that the fire incident occurred in one of the units of the Warri-Itakpe coaches, adding that, although the cause of the fire was yet to be identified, the affected coach has been towed to the Agbor Station of the corporation and that no passenger was hurt.
“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,” Okhiria was quoted as saying.
However, when The New Diplomat contacted the Ujewu Station Manager of the corporation, he denied any fire incident, saying nothing of such took place.
In fact, he stated, the alleged coach and train travelled to Itakpe and back to Warri yesterday, adding that it had returned to Itakpe again.
“There was nothing of such at our station. There was no fire incident in Ujewu. I wonder where they got that report from without confirmation. My MD was in AIT this money to address that issue. There was no fire incident. The train left yesterday and returned. Even now it is still on the way. There was no such incident.
“…nothing of such has happened to the train this January at Ujewu,” he said.
When contacted, the Delta State Police Command PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe, told The New Diplomat that he suspected it was an old video, adding that no fire incident happened in the NRC.
“It seems to be an old video because nothing like that happened,” Edafe said.
