LRTA inspects damaged rectifier, says repair may not last nine months

Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) engineers on Thursday inspected the power rectifier at its Santolan station that was damaged during the recent fire incident in the LRT line 2 resulting in the partial shut down of its operations.

The engineers were joined by personnel from the Bureau and Fire Protection (BFP). GMA News was allowed to cover the inspection, which was conducted to determine what spare parts are needed for the repair and rehabilitation.

LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera said the rehabilitation may not last for nine months as they earlier announced since some spare parts are readily available.

"'Yung sinabi po namin noon na nine months, ito po ‘yung timeline natin kapag bibili tayo ng buong component ng rectifier, ibig sabihin brand new," Cabrera said in an interview on Balitanghali.

"Pero if we go by component level, mabilis po natin ito na mare-repair but depende po ito sa ginagawang inspection ngayon."

Through the inspection, it was learned that three and not two rectifiers were damaged by the fire — power rectifier 5 between Anonas and Katipunan stations, rectifier 6 at the Santolan depot, and rectifier 4 at the Betty Go Belmonte station.

Though the BFP and commissioning engineer have not yet released a final report, Cabrera said it is "very clear" that a lightning strike that hit the LRT2 a day prior to the October 3 shutdown caused the fire.

"At actually, na-announce sa media 'yun. Thirty minutes po tayo nagtigil ng operasyon [noon], nung chineck din po namin, NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) that time, nag-declare din siya ng flight cancellations because of a lightning storm. This is supported by a PAGASA advisory," he said.

Cabrera added that the LRTA currently has 86 lightning arresters throughout Line 2 and 55 more at the rectifiers.

As of Thursday, LRT2 operation is limited only to Cubao to Recto stations and vice versa. —Saleema Refran with Julia Mari Ornedo/KBK, GMA News