(The following article by Kris Wise appeared on the Daily Mail website on February 11.)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Emergency officials said a small chemical leak at the Norfolk Southern train yard in Belle has been contained.
A rail car at the facility on Dairy Lane was being inspected today when a crew noticed vapors coming from a broken gauging device, plant manager Bill Menke said.
Metro 911 took a call about the problem at about 2:15 p.m.
“There was no harm to the public and no evacuation necessary,” a dispatcher said.
By 2:30 p.m., dispatchers said the leak had been contained.
Menke said the rail car was empty at the time, and the odor was from residue left over from the transport of the chemical dimethylamine, a compound that has several industrial uses, including in dyes, rubber products and pharmaceutical products.
He said inspectors were standing very close to the car when they noticed the vapors, and that the problem should not be noticeable to the surrounding community.
“All you are seeing is residual odors from an empty container,” Menke said.