(The Associated Press circulated the following article on April 4.)
CHARLESTON, WVa. — A boulder the size of a city bus is blamed for a train derailment Wednesday that left a locomotive partially submerged in the Coal River near St. Albans.
No injuries were reported in the 5:15 a.m. accident, but diesel fuel leaked into the water and at least 10 train cars were completely off track.
A mudslide caused the rock to fall on the edge of the track and the CSX coal train couldn’t stop in time, said Lakewood Volunteer Fire Capt. Bill Price.
Price said both engineers escaped unharmed.
Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Jessica Greathouse said the agency sent inspectors to the scene to oversee the diesel fuel cleanup. The St. Albans water treatment plant was ordered to shut down its intakes to keep contaminated water out of the water system, she said.
It’s not clear how much diesel has spilled, but Dave Erwin, the Emergency Operations Center coordinator, says he’s been told it was a minimal amount.
A fully loaded locomotive carries about 10,000 gallons of fuel.
Erwin said all railroad crossings along Smith Creek in that area were blocked as were Ferrell Road and Jo Ann Lane.
Calls to CSX were not immediately returned