YEKEPA, NIMBA CO.: ArcelorMittal Liberia has reported what it calls “deliberate attempts” by some unknown individuals to sabotage its railway operations by breaking two pairs of joint bars on the rail track.
The damage to the rail track occurred at Km 231.350 in Nimba County during the early morning hours of May 20, 2022, according to a press release issued by the company.
Arriving on the scene, an emergency response crew discovered that the two regular joint bars along with their bolts and nuts holding the closure rails on both sides were removed and taken away with the possible intent to cause train derailment. No fatalities or injuries were reported, and AML’s rail maintenance team spent several hours repairing the damage to the rail track.
This is not the first of such attacks on ArcelorMittal Liberia railway operations. The incident has been reported to the Liberian National Police (LNP). At the same time, ArcelorMittal has called on its local consultative forums in communities along the rail line to be more vigilant in spotting and reporting illegal activities as the rainy season intensifies.
In September 2021, one of the company’s locomotives traveling from Tokadeh in Nimba County to Buchanan was targeted by criminal activities that resulted in an incident on the rail track around Kilometer 215 near Sanniquellie.
According to the release, the presumed target of these criminals were the tarpaulins covering the iron ore wagons to keep out moisture from the iron ore.
During that attack, according to the release, some of the moving wagons were deliberately disconnected from its braking systems causing the wagons to veer off the rail track resulting in damage to a portion of the rail line.
About ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes.
Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people, and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS).
