(The following story by Drew Stewart appeared at WISTV.com on May 21, 2010.)
GRANITEVILLE, S.C. — There’s a new chapter of hope for a South Carolina town in the tragic story of a train derailment in 2005 that changed Graniteville.
Nine people died, and more than 550 people were injured. Residents were evacuated for a couple weeks after 70 tons of chlorine leaked from a tank car. The Norfolk-Southern train was carrying the chlorine to the Avondale Mills textile plant in downtown Graniteville.
Now a new sign company will create 125 jobs, and is expected to have a $12 million dollar impact on the economy.
If you go into downtown Graniteville on a rainy day, you might think the weather to be a good metaphor for the mood of the town, and that might have been true after what people around town call “the wreck.”
Five and a half years ago, a train carrying chlorine through town derailed and spilled tons of chlorine gas into the air. Nine people died, hundreds were displaced and the town was devastated, both physically and economically.
Now, when you speak to some Graniteville residents like Sue who manages Greg’s gas station, you hear optimism. Her store sits right next door to one of Graniteville’s newest and most welcomed residents, the MCA Sign Company.
“It’s helped us,” said Sue. “It really has, they come in here. They buy drinks and chips and come up here at lunch time and it’s really helped our business.”
Although the plants haven’t run since 2005, Sue says there will be a rebirth of Graniteville.
“I think it’s going to come back,” Sue said. It’s a good little town. I like it.”
Three years ago, survivors of the disaster erected a monument so future generations will remember the events of January 6, 2005. Sue speaks for town residents who hope industry will remember a little town moving past tragedy and coming back to life.