Lapse in communication caused MRT mishap

Based on the MRT-3’s probe, a personnel driving the service train or unimog carrying its maintenance crew from Taft Avenue on the way back to its depot on North Avenue ailed to communicate with a co-driver of another unimog thus, the collision. (File Photo: MRT-3 Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The collision of two maintenance service trains of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) which resulted in the delays in its operations Wednesday morning was caused by communication lapses, an MRT official said Wednesday.

“I think there was a lapse on the safety protocol. Nagkaroon po ng pagkukulang sa communication between sa driver ng tracks na sabihin na siya po ay on the way na pabalik. Nagkaroon ng communication lapse hindi niya nalaman na may gumagawa pa sa station between Buendia and Guadalupe (I think there was a lapse on the safety protocol. There was a miscommunication between the driver of the tracks who should have informed that he is on the way back. It was a communication lapse he didn’t know that there were some personnel working between the stations of Buendia and Guadalupe),” MRT director for operations Michael Capati said in a press briefing.

Based on the MRT-3’s probe, a personnel driving the service train or unimog carrying its maintenance crew from Taft Avenue on the way back to its depot on North Avenue ailed to communicate with a co-driver of another unimog thus, the collision.

“Sa initial investigation namin, lumalabas na hindi nakapag-radyo ‘yong driver nung unimog na nakabangga sa OCS (Overhead Catenary System) (Based on our initial investigation, the driver of the unimog was not able to communicate through radio and collided with the OCS),” Capati said.

He noted that the tracks between Buendia and Guadalupe stations have both upward and downward slopes.

He added that the driver of unimog suddenly put on his brakes when he saw that there was ongoing maintenance works along the Buendia and Guadalupe stations.

The driver, he said, was not able to control his brakes thus he hit a unimog from the OCS along the upper slope of the track.

The accident resulted in injuries to seven maintenance and security personnel. They are now being treated at the Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center. Of those injured, two sustained fractures on their shoulders while others suffered minor injuries.

The accident, which happened at around 3 a.m. ,caused a delay in the deployment of trains and affected around 5,000 passengers.

The MRT was able to load passengers and insert trains on its revenue line at 6 a.m. Normal operations were restored with 15 trains at around 7:30 a.m.

The Department of Transportation deployed additional buses, in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Highway Patrol Group and Land Transportation Office, to assist passengers that were affected by the incident.