ArcelorMittal Liberia Attributes Locomotive Derailment to Sabotage and Theft of Fasteners

Yekepa, Nimba – ArcelorMittal Liberia reports a derailment on the rail track involving one of its locomotives en route from the mines in Yekepa to the port in Buchanan. This was due to the theft of railway fasteners by unknown individuals. AML has experienced a surge in the theft of rail ties and other metal fasteners that secure the tracks to the rail sleepers.

There were no injuries or fatalities recorded.

The incident happened in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 28, 2023, at Kilometer 32, around the Liberia Agriculture Company in Grand Bassa County.

An inspection of the derailment site by ArcelorMittal Liberia is ongoing to ascertain the level of damage caused by the incident. Normal production remains shut down because of the accident.

ArcelorMittal Liberia’s railway operations have suffered many similar attacks and sabotage by criminals who remove rail sleepers and fasteners thereby posing huge risks of accidents on the track. The incident as well as others in the past have been reported to the Liberia National Police (LNP).

The management of ArcelorMittal Liberia condemns in the strongest terms, these constant criminal attacks on its operations and has called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.