(The Associated Press circulated the following story on October 4.)
STONINGTON, Ill. — A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed here, toppling 20 cars including four tankers that contained hydrochloric acid, authorities said.
No injuries were reported and none of the tanks ruptured when they left the tracks about 4 p.m. Sunday, so there was no immediate hazard. Hydrochloric acid has a variety of industrial uses but is corrosive to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes, according to the Environ-mental Protection Agency.
“I’m nervous about all this,” said Stonington resident Nikki Pugh as she watched the cleanup Sunday.
The toppled tanker cars did not leak, said Christian County Sheriff Bob Kinder-mann, but the derailment kept Illinois 48 closed south of Stonington through the night. It was reopened to traffic early Monday morning but could be closed again after equipment arrived to move the acid from the toppled cars to trucks, said Master Sgt. Kevin Volker of the Illinois State Police.
The cause of the derailment wasn’t immediately known, said Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband. Repair crews worked through the night to replace damaged track.
“We got everything out of the way about 3:30 this morning,” Husband said Monday. “We laid about 300 feet of new track.”
The 68-car train was traveling from Granite City to Decatur when it derailed.