(The following story by Brian Clark appeared on the Scranton (Pa.) Times Tribune website on August 20.)
TAYLOR, Pa. — Three train cars derailed Thursday afternoon at the Canadian Pacific Railway rail yard, gashing a 500-pound propane tank, officials said.
Nobody was injured in the accident, said Kevin Howard, operations officer for the Lackawanna County Emergency Management Agency.
“It sheared the top of the tank off releasing the propane into the air,” Mr. Howard said. “(The propane) went into the wind, dissipated and blew away.”
Firefighters shot a mist of water over the area to help disperse the gas, Mr. Howard said.
“While it was dissipating they sprayed a fog stream to help break it up more,” he said.
The 77-car train was southbound when three cars in the middle of the train rolled off the tracks and struck the isolated propane tank, which the railway uses to keep the tracks heated.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Taylor police and firefighters remained on the scene as emergency management and railway officials examined the area.