(The following article by Kevin Hoffmann was posted on the Kansas City Star website on February 21.)
KANSAS CITY — A Union Pacific freight train hauling military equipment, including battle tanks, derailed Friday near Southwest Boulevard and Genessee Street in Kansas City.
The train was headed from California to Memphis, Tenn., about 10 a.m. when eight of the train’s 75 cars derailed.
Four of the derailed rail cars carried tanks. The four other cars also carried military vehicles. No injuries were reported.
Two tanks were flipped on their sides, spilling 15 to 25 gallons of diesel fuel and leaving a strong odor in the air. A hazardous materials team from the Kansas City Fire Department plugged the leak and treated the spill.
Fire officials said strong winds prevented the need for an evacuation of nearby businesses.
A portion of Cambridge Circle was closed.
Mark Davis, a spokesman for Union Pacific, said investigators were trying to determine what had caused the derailment. At least one set of tracks was damaged, but railroad officials expected the tracks to reopen Friday night. The derailment occurred on tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.
About 90 minutes after the derailment, trucks from R.J. Corman Derailment Services arrived with heavy equipment.
A truckload of sand was dumped near the tanks, and crews worked several hours to upright the derailed cars.
The derailment was the second in the area this week. On Monday, 10 cars hauling coal derailed in Lenexa.