Toxic Train Wreck

[Rhino]

Train Derails, Catches Fire in Kentucky

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. — Several CSX train cars derailed in a fiery heap Tuesday south of Louisville, shutting down a nearby highway and forcing evacuations of nearby homes, businesses and a school, authorities said.

Five people were being treated at hospitals for the effects of chemicals from the train derailment and fire, a spokeswoman for Jewish Hospital Medical Center South said. None of those taken to the medical center had life-threatening injuries.

A CSX spokesman said the train was carrying hazardous materials, and the blaze produced a massive column of black smoke in the mostly rural area. Television footage showed several blazing cars stacked across the rail lines and flaming liquid flowing down ditches from the mangled tanker cars.....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243908,00.html

[CountryGent]

The Governor has called in the National Guard to help fight the fire and aid in evacuations there. One hell of a mess for sure.:sad:

[Incident_command]

Most fires containing hazmat are best to let burn. Cleanup and run off from water being used to fight the fire are often worse than the product being allowed to burn itself off.
Glad its not my zone.

[Lubbock]

Is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else as though we are having an inordinate number of train wrecks/derailments in the last few years?

Seems to me that every time I turn around, there's been another one. Both passenger and freight.

[Rhino]

They actually happen fairly regularly. They just get more press now.