A fire outbreak was reported at the Idu Train Station in Abuja on Wednesday evening, with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) describing the incident as “minor” and attributing it to an electrical fault.
The fire occurred in the station’s low-voltage electrical room and was discovered at about 8:30 p.m., according to a statement issued by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
Maintenance personnel at the station quickly responded and brought the fire under control before it could spread to other parts of the facility.
The NRC said preliminary checks showed that some electrical supply cables connected to the control panels were damaged in the incident.
However, the Corporation said the station’s alternative solar power system was not affected by the fire.
It added that power had been temporarily restored to the lifts and escalators, with 28 of the 29 facilities currently working.
Despite the incident, the NRC assured passengers that the Abuja-Kaduna train service had not been disrupted.
According to the Corporation, scheduled train services will continue to operate normally while its technical team carries out a detailed assessment of the affected installations.
The team is expected to establish the exact cause of the electrical fault and undertake permanent repairs to the damaged equipment.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has also been notified and is expected to provide the necessary technical support to the NRC.
The Corporation said further updates would be provided as the technical assessment and restoration work progresses.
