The Zambia Railways Limited says one of its goods train carrying 24 wagons of coal derailed in the early hours of Sunday December 27, 2020 around Mazabuka and Magoye area.
Zambia Railways Acting Public Relations Manager Sombe Ng’onga , in a press statement , in a statement in Lusaka that the derailment was caused by a blocked drainage that buried the rail line due to heavy rains.
Ms Ng’onga said train number 728 derailed between Mazabuka and Magoye areas in the Southern Province while transporting coal from Batoka to Ndola.
She said that no fatalities were recorded as the crew members are safe and injury free.
Ms Ng’onga explained that no extensive damage has been made to the train or rail line as only the Locomotive, which is the head of the train, capsized and that the 24 wagons carrying the coal are intact.
She said that a recovery team is already on site with the immediate priority of ensuring that the capsized locomotive is re-railed and the rail line opened within 24 hours from the time of derailment.
“Zambia Railways is working round the clock to ensure that the disruption to train services is as minimal as possible” said Ms Ng’onga.
Ms Ng’onga assured clients that efforts have been made to provide adequate security at the scene of the derailment to safeguard both cargo and equipment.
She advised the general public to desist from trading and building structures near the railway line to avoid accidents and loss of life.
“The derailment that we have witnessed in the southern province underscores the need for people to stay away from the railway line, as derailments can cause catastrophic consequences if safety regulations are ignored,” said Ms Ng’onga.
What happens in some of these Parastatal companies is really laughable. So the people working for Zambia Railways are just found in Lusaka?.. I mean no one checks on where these wagons pass through to ensure that their passage is safe. It’s high time we became serious with what we do as Zambians…. This is the more reason why we cannot manage our mineral resources because of this very bad work culture that we have in our country.
Emmalito Lias my bro the current government borrowed a lot of money to revamp the operations of zrl up to know we still don’t know what happened.
During Kaunda’s reign zrl had small stations doted along the rail line.These were put up to do some regular check ups on the rail.
Indeed it’s laughable to see an avoidable accidents happening.
We have a leadership crisis at the moment and if we continue on this trajectory the all economy will collapse.
When we privatize, you blame Sammy. What a country
Nyimbili Sullen let’s not be political on this too.
Marcellus Chakwana Phiri are you the moderator or you one of those moral judges? My point is inefficiency in parastatals, not Sammy. But people rarely get the point
Nyimbili Sullen Kupwisha boss, Sammy Chintombwa …aka HH with 2 nrcs says Tayali lol…..But ba Lusambo says ala gwagura saana ,wama gwagwa ulya umuntu.
Ababanambawemi Kaope bakamba ipapangeni 5 tulete kaili
Nyimbili Sullen kuti nalwisha 2 bfor Friday.
Ababanambawemi Kaope pressure ya lelo
Nyimbili Sullen mwemfumu napapata ,pamoneka one ati balantuminako bamuninane …Can I send bfor 12??
Ababanambawemi Kaope 5 lelo then 1pin balance
Ababanambawemi Kaope awe sure icaalo ichim
Should have resolved by lunchtime.
Incompetence has hit a crescendo — and this is just the beginning of the several peaks that have been going on for a while. Most disasters will be noticeable by the lack of professionalism and due diligence required to go along with preventing them. Timuuzani kuti tipaseni ma ncito tizisewenza you give cadres. Then you demonize us for helping societies out in the diaspora…
Learn to be serious no inspection
I wonder if Zambia Railways Management has truck supervisor who were inspecting railway line in all sidings to ensure there is no derailment along the railway line. Each truck supervisor had a handful truck workers were doing a commendable and were full few derailments. How can there a blocked drainage.This is pure ineffeciency and absurd which should not tolerated. Where is the Euro bond to rehabitate the line went ?
Deleted after complaints
Zambia railways has always been a well oiled machine. This is an unacceptable. Even with the Eurobond being stolen by Sata’s minions. Zambia railways always has workers dedicated to the company’s wellbeing. This is sad for Zambia period.
Lusaka Times… is this fake Kaizar Zulu a privileged blogger or a member of your editorial team. Someone who calls citizens DOGs. This guy has been insulting anyone perceived to be in the opposition. This is indeed irresponsible journalism. Same applies to bloggers who insult PF members. As a responsible online media, you need to have some kind of regulation so that HATE SPEECH is not promoted.
This problem has been ignored by the authorities FOR TOO LONG especially the dsitrict council. People have built and are busy ploughing along the rail line ,This has led to the blockages of the drainages with the resulting bloods.
The villages along the roads have been affected too as the water now drains into their premises.
THE ZAMBIA RAILWAYS AUTHORITY AND THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MUST INTERVENE BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST
Don’t worry, Bally will fix the railways.
Lusaka times I know that you have been bought by those upnd goats. Let me warn you that we can block access of this site in Zambia. Watch out
You can delete my comments but you cannot delete the truth. Since when did comments get deleted because some opposition babies cried over it ? How many times is our president insulted here by tribal upnd members and yet the comments are never deleted? Don’t take us for clowns.
@ kaizar Zulu, tell them. This hate speech with insults from upnd bloggers has gone overboard. Yet the upnd websites block anti upnd comments all in a desparate attempt to create an impression that the entire nation is pro upnd.
@ Kaizer Zulu tell them. This hate speech with insults has gone overboard. Yet they block any anti upnd comments on their websites all in a desparate attempt to create an impression that the entire nation is pro upnd.