LRT-1 train catches fire in Pasay; management limits train ops

A fire broke out at a train car of the LRT-1 in Gil Puyat Station at 2 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2020. Photo Fire And Rescue Alert Responders

MANILA, Philippines — One of the train cars of the Light Rail Transit (LRT-1) caught fire near the Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia) Station in Pasay City on Friday afternoon, prompting the rail management to temporarily limit its operations.

A report from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the fire hit an LRT-1 wagon just when it exited the station at about 2:24 p.m.

Fire investigators said the blaze was fully extinguished after almost 15 minutes, and only reached first alarm.

Meanwhile, the LRT management limited train operations from Central Station to Balintawak and vice versa after the fire incident.

“As of 2:18 PM, 11-06-2020. Limited operations for LRT-1. Trains will run only from Central to Balintawak and vice versa. Our Engineering Team is onsite working on a catenary issue,” LRT-1 said in a statement on Twitter.

“The assessment and repair may take a few hours, but our team is working as fast we can to resolve the issue. We advise the riding public to plan their schedule accordingly. Please stay tuned for our next updates. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,” it added.

The train management also said it has deployed a technician to look into the “catenary fault” between Buendia and Vito Cruz stations.

“A stop for safety has been put in place from Baclaran to Balintawak. Technician is already on board to check the catenary fault located between G. Puyat & V. Cruz stations. Please allow additional travel time of about 15 minutes,” read the tweet.

EDV