The Lagos State Government and Lagos Metropolitan Authority (LAMATA) have assured residents of the state that the Blue line infrastructure is safe despite the fire that was ignited by a petrol-powered generator deployed to pump diesel into the barge.
LAMATA’s Corporate Communication consultant, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi explained that the fire incident involved an oil tanker transloading diesel into a barge on the lagoon on the outer Marina. This, he said, was done under one of the piers for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line at Marina.
In a statement, Ojelabi said that the “fire has since been put off by a combined team of firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service, Nigerian Ports Authority Fire Service, and the Federal Fire Service. The Police were also present to incident the fire outbreak.
“The Police are currently working to ascertain the ownership of the fuel tanker and the barge.
“Preliminary test carried out by the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation shows that the pier was not affected by the fire”.
He said that LAMATA would continue with the testing phase of the operation of the trains and civil infrastructure, with a view to educating members of the public on how to interact with the rail system.