AMITE — People were already gathering outside Amite City Hall by 7:30 this morning for the second day of Canadian National Railroad’s operation to resolve claims from the Oct. 12 freight train derailment and hazardous chemical spill which forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes, the Hammond Daily Star reported.
Nearly 100 were waiting outside Tuesday afternoon, the first day the claims office opened in City Hall. Two tents were set up in the side yard where people signed up and waited for their turn to be interviewed.
Some, however, drifted into the building next door to City Hall where a large sign announced, “Amite Train Derailment Interview Office.” A woman inside said it was the office of the Edwards Law Firm, which was confirmed by a smaller sign outside.
No one from that firm could be reached for comment this morning.
That’s “the price of tea,” said Ian Thomson, CNR spokesman.
“That’s fine. People have that choice,” he said.
The railroad’s only claims location is at City Hall, he said.
CNR claims adjusters are working hard to resolve claims and people or families are being dealt with on an individual basis, he said. Checks are being issued on the spot in some cases, and residents who resolve claims are asked to sign a standard release form.
Thomson said he did not have any figures on how many people chose to resolve their claims directly with CNR.
Patsy Cryer was among those who chose to deal directly with the railroad. She waited outside City Hall with her infant, Tikesha Palmer, for her turn to talk to adjusters.
Cryer, who lives on South Street, said she was working at the Family Dollar Store on the day of the wreck. The store was closed and she went home, but had to leave soon thereafter and stay at a relative’s house because of the evacuation.
“I couldn’t take no clothes or anything. I missed my pay for that day,” she said.
Pamela Cryer was also awaiting her turn Tuesday afternoon. She lives on U.S. Highway 51 South very near the wreck site and was not home when the accident occurred. Cryer said she tried but was not allowed to get to her home afterward to get her puppy and some chickens who needed to be fed.
“They lost a lot of weight, but they came out fine,” she said.
She stayed with a relative initially and then went to the Ramada Inn for the rest of the evacuation.
By 1 p.m., Tamica Doughty said she had already waited more than two hours to talk to adjusters. She was in her Factory Street home when the accident occurred.
She said she didn’t hear it but became concerned when she saw lots of police cars in her neighborhood. Once she found out what happened, she got scared.
“Very, because the fumes were so loud. I was dizzy. I was very scared. One of my kids has a sickness problem already and I wasn’t getting any information,” Doughty said.
Amite Councilman Thaddeus Richardson, who also had to evacuate that day, was at City Hall on Tuesday checking on the progress of the claims process.
Richardson said he was very unhappy that so many people were having to wait outside at the request of the railroad.
“They could have had a better place than having the people out here. You’ve got senior citizens out here,” Richardson said.