An ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) rail worker, Edward Kolliemen, remains in critical condition after suffering life-altering injuries in a serious rail inspection accident on December 15, 2025, an incident that has renewed scrutiny of rail safety practices, accident reporting, and regulatory oversight along Liberia's busiest mining corridor.
Mr. Kolliemen, an elderly man believed to be in his mid-50s, works as a wagon inspector, a role that requires him to ensure wagons are properly loaded before departing the loading station at the mine. The accident occurred at approximately 4:31 p.m. at kilometer marker 241.700 during an inbound inspection of wagons.
According to an internal PSIF Incident Alert obtained by the Daily Observer, Mr. Kolliemen was inspecting wagons between locomotives 101 and 108 when the locomotive operator requested clearance to move. Both Mr. Kolliemen and his supervisor reportedly gave an "all clear" signal. A single radio was reportedly assigned to both men, who were inspecting the wagons from opposite directions.
As the wagons began moving, Mr. Kolliemen reportedly attempted to hold onto them to expedite the inspection process. He slipped, became trapped between the wagons, and sustained catastrophic injuries resulting in the traumatic amputation of his right hand and right leg. He was reportedly wearing rain boots at the time of the incident.
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AML's MedAir emergency response team rescued Mr. Kolliemen at the scene, administered immediate treatment, and airlifted him by helicopter to the company hospital in Yekepa. He was taken into surgery, placed on blood transfusion, and remains under intensive medical care.
For Mr. Kolliemen and his family, the consequences are devastating and permanent. Beyond the physical trauma, the incident underscores the human cost of rail operations where routine tasks can turn fatal or disabling in seconds, particularly for older workers performing physically demanding roles in high-risk environments.
AML's Communications Director, Winston Daryoue, told the Daily Observer that he needed more time to respond to questions about the incident, including safety protocols, reporting procedures, and follow-up actions by the company. As of publication, no further response had been received.
The Director of Rail at the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Amos K. Tuah, confirmed to the Daily Observer that his office has not been officially informed by ArcelorMittal Liberia about the December 15 incident. Officials of the Ministries of Mines and Energy and Labor have not responded to the Observer's requests for comment. The lack of notification and official response raises concerns about compliance with accident reporting obligations and the effectiveness of government oversight in Liberia's rail sector.
The incident comes amid Liberia's broader effort to reform rail governance through executive orders establishing the National Rail Authority, aimed at separating rail regulation from private commercial interests and transitioning the country toward an independent rail operator model. These executive actions were intended to centralize oversight, enforce uniform safety and operational standards, and ensure that accidents are promptly reported, independently reviewed, and addressed through national regulatory mechanisms.
However, the reform effort has faced persistent resistance from ArcelorMittal Liberia, which has sought to retain control over rail policy, operations, and access, despite the government's stated objective of opening the rail system to multiple users under independent oversight. This resistance is particularly striking given the company's own acknowledgment in a recent annual report that it has sustained serious financial losses attributed to poor rail management. The admission sits alongside a troubling safety record, including at least two previous fatalities that occurred while the company was operating the rail system.
Within this context, the Rail System Operating Principles (RSOP) are intended to function as a technical and safety framework governing how trains operate on shared rail infrastructure. From a safety perspective, an RSOP is meant to establish clear rules for inspections, communication protocols, movement authority, and emergency response, under the supervision of an independent regulator. The objective is to prevent safety decisions from being driven by production pressures and to ensure consistent standards apply to all rail users.
The PSIF designation attached to Mr. Kolliemen's accident reflects its severity. In mining and rail operations, PSIF typically stands for "Potentially Serious Injury or Fatality," a classification used to flag incidents that result in, or could reasonably have resulted in, death or permanent disability and that warrant heightened scrutiny.
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While AML has not publicly addressed organizational factors related to the incident, the circumstances described in the incident alert point to systemic risks, including limited communication tools during inspections, close proximity of workers to moving wagons, and operational practices that may prioritize speed over safety. These issues underscore the very concerns the National Rail Authority and independent oversight model were designed to address.
As Mr. Kolliemen fights for survival and recovery, the silence from key regulators and the absence of formal notification raise uncomfortable questions about whether Liberia's rail safety reforms are being matched by enforcement. Whether this incident becomes a catalyst for stronger accountability, or fades quietly into a pattern of preventable harm, remains to be seen.
The Daily Observer will continue to follow this story.
