PETALING JAYA: LRT services from the KLCC station to Gombak was temporarily halted today after a flat car (maintenance car) derailed on the LRT Kelana Jaya line between the Jelatek and Dato Keramat stations at 1.27am.
“Eight buses were deployed to ferry passengers between the two stations until 11.30am when normal service resumed,” said LRT Kelana Jaya line chief operating officer Ismail Abdullah.
The derailment was caused by the failure of the bogie bearing of the flat car.
Ismail said repair work and removal of the flat car began immediately but it could not be completed before train services started at 6am.
He said the incident also damaged the signalling cable and power rail.
“Service from KLCC to Gombak was temporarily halted to ensure the quick removal of the derailed flat car and repair works to the rail.
“Service on the LRT Kelana Jaya line was slowed down and trains had to stop at stations for a longer period,” he added.
Ismail said three stations, Datuk Keramat, Jelatek and Setiawangsa, were out of action until 11.30am as the flat car was parked at the Jelatek station until repair was completed and it could be moved.
He said RapidKL has placed the flat car weighing some nine tonnes under full quarantine for further inspection.
“We are also reviewing our maintenance programme and carrying out safety audit inspection on all maintenance vehicles,” Ismail said.
He said it took a long time to carry out the repair work because it involved four jobs being carried out simultaneously involving more than 20 workers.
Ismail said this is the first incident involving a maintenance car since the line started operating in 1998.
He said RapidKL had issued a total 442 refund coupons to passengers.
