Sabotage and Theft of Rail Fasteners Lead to Derailment

(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.

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes.

Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people, and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS