(The Southern Illinoisan posted the following story by Christi Mathis on its website on February 18.)
TAMAROA, Ill. — U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, toured the scene of the hazardous chemicals train derailment in Tamaroa Tuesday morning. He said the cleanup effort is going well, as is the Canadian National Railway’s attempts to begin providing compensation for the local residents who were homeless for days because of the Feb. 9 derailment.
By 5 p.m. Tuesday the railroad had issued more than 100 checks providing payment in excess of $50,000 to local residents, said Jack Burke, assistant vice president of United States Public Affairs for the Canadian National/ Illinois Central Railway. Claims will continue to be paid throughout the week and afterward, Burke said.
Also Tuesday, the last chemical car at the crash site was emptied of its cargo of phosphoric acid. Burke said the car was undamaged, but the derailment pushed it far enough off the track that officials decided off-loading the cargo to another car was best.
There are still twisted rail cars and tankers, broken wheels and axles lying about the railroad track just east of U.S. 51. Massive mounds of dirt are covered with giant sheets of plastic and crews and machinery continue to clean up soil contaminated by the leaking chemicals.
Costello said he’s been monitoring the situation since the derailment occurred and “there’s no question they’ve made great progress. The railroad has been very responsive.” He said he’ll keep working to ensure the cooperation continues and local residents are satisfied and their town returned to normal.
“Hopefully everyone here will walk out of here with a check and hopefully it will be an amount that people are satisfied with,” Costello said.
Tamaroa resident Betty Bronke said she’s “really happy” with the settlement she was offered to compensate her for having to leave her home on U.S. 51. She spent several days at a hotel in Murphysboro.
“It was a week from hell,” Burke said. “But I’m really happy with what they offered. The people have worked hard.”
Bronke said the settlement was more than she expected and her only complaint was that she couldn’t get her check until her husband, an ironworker in Chicago during the week, was able to sign the release with her.
Melanie Melton lives just three blocks from the derailment. She left empty- handed and unhappy Tuesday. She said she had dogs alone in her home for days while the family was evacuated and there was considerable damage to carpet and belongings, but that the railroad wouldn’t pay her other expenses until she presents the full claim for all damages and signs a release.
“We’re going to contact an attorney and see what our options are,” Melton said. She said she was pleased that the release didn’t preclude action against the railroad in the event of any illness that might later be traced to the derailment and chemical spill, but she believes partial settlements for out-of-pocket expenses should be provided for families like hers who don’t yet know the full extent of their damages.
Randy Followell’s business, R & R Feed and Bait, has been closed since the derailment. He said his losses probably total about $5,000 and are mounting, because “I’m losing money every day.” He said his business operates out of his home and is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week, but he can’t reopen until customers are confident his feed is safe.
“It has hurt me tremendously,” Followell said, noting that the power outage resulting from the wreck killed all of his minnows. “I can’t describe how this feels. It’s absolutely tearing me up financially.”
Burke promised Followell that his business would be tested to assure residents that it is indeed safe and he stressed that Followell and others will be compensated for their losses. He said his company will cover lost revenue, payroll expenses for those unable to go to work, and other reasonable expenses. He suggested that businesses bring documentation if possible of their revenues for the same period the previous month or year.
“We’ll be paying people for the inconvenience and all reasonable expenses associated with this,” Burke said.
In addition to paying all “reasonable” expenses for hotels, food, clothing and the like, the railroad is also offering residents a settlement of $50 per adult and $25 per child, up to $100 for a family of four, as compensation for each day they were displaced from their home. Burke said the railroad will cover the costs of all state and local agencies, emergency personnel, Red Cross, and any other expenses related to the derailment, too.
Tamaroa village board President Bill Place, Perry County Sheriff Keith Kellerman and Du Quoin Emergency Services Disaster Agency Coordinator Chuck Genesio said they are just beginning to calculate their costs.
“We put about 5,200 miles on our cars with this,” Kellerman said.
The Canadian National Railway did satisfy some Tamaroa residents Tuesday. Buffy Cambron and her children, Keeley Gray, 5, and Jayden Cambron, 21 months, were away from their home located 11/2 blocks from the wreck for five days.