8 MRT workers hurt in mishap

MANILA, Philippines — Eight employees of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) were injured after two of the rail line’s maintenance service vehicles collided between its Guadalupe and Buendia stations in Makati City before dawn yesterday.

Lineman Rogelio Piamonte’s right shoulder and pelvis were fractured after a vehicle hit him while driver-technician Erick Anthony Cabbab sustained a head trauma and fractured his left shoulder, said Superintendent Rogelio Simon, Makati police chief.

Simon said Piamonte and Cabbab are in the intensive care unit of the hospital while colleagues Ramil Malibiran, Rengie Velarde, Paquito Basangua and Joseph Cyril Ursua were hospitalized for minor injuries.  

Malibiran, who suffered a knee injury, has been discharged.

Simon said security personnel Randy Bolilan and Alex Lumico were also rushed to the hospital after they sustained minor injuries. No one was reported killed. 

Prior to the incident, the MRT-3 said two of its unimogs or maintenance service vehicles accidentally collided while the workers were doing track maintenance and checking the overhead catenary system of the stations at around 3 a.m. 

The MRT-3 said that the accident happened after the driver of the maintenance vehicle coming from the northbound lane of Buendia station allegedly did not notice the presence of another vehicle. 

The unimogs were removed from the tracks and sent back to the MRT-3’s depot in Quezon City where they underwent repairs. 

Due to the accident, the MRT-3 said its operation was delayed by at least an hour. Eight trains were deployed at around 5:30 a.m.

The incident also caused long queues of commuters trying to get into the stations during yesterday morning’s rush hour, prompting the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board  to deploy 37 buses.

The MRT-3 said it is conducting an investigation as it assured the families of the injured personnel that the rail line will shoulder all of their medical expenses.  
Affected commuters took to social media to air their grievances after the announcement of the incident was delayed. The MRT-3 said it announced the loading of passengers at around 6:08 a.m. 

“Kasing bagal ng tren niyo ang advisory niyo (Your advisory is as slow as your trains),” Facebook user Greg Raposon said. 

The MRT-3 said that its operation normalized at around 7:30 a.m., with 15 trains running.