EXPLODED RAILWAY IN GORI OF GEORGIA REPAIRED TO OPERATION
EXPLODED RAILWAY IN GORI OF GEORGIA REPAIRED TO OPERATION
The railroad damaged in explosion of a fuel train on Georgia’s main east-west rail line has been repaired and brought to operation, said Nadir Azmammadov, Press Secretary of Azerbaijan State Railways Company (ADDY).
“The blast set off fire and damaged 14 of 34 tank wagons containing oil products. Two wagons with oil in them were rescued and 20 wagons were unhitched and moved away,” he noted. The train caught fire on the main track of the line linking eastern and western Georgia, a vital trade route for oil exports from Azerbaijan to European markets. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear but huge plumes of black smoke pouring from the wreckage of the train was seen in the village of Skra, 5 km (3 miles) west of Gori. Azmammadov noted that Georgia is calculating the damage. According to the initial assessment, 600 tons of oil was spilt in the explosion area and 116 tons was rescued. The train was carrying Kazakh-owned oil filled in Durbandi Terminal in the Azerbaijani coastline of the Caspian Sea. Although the train is owned by Azerbaijan’s AzPetrol Company, it was rented by Georgian National Oil Corporation.