(The following story by the Associated Press appeared on the Kansas City Star website on September 29.)
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Two federal agencies have begun an investigation into a railroad tanker car fire that led to the evacuation of about 200 people in East St. Louis.
The Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the four-car derailment and explosion Sept. 21 that rocked the eastern half of East St. Louis.
The locomotive pulling the cars was operated by remote control, investigators said Tuesday. The agencies will try to determine if the remote-control operation led to the incident in the Union Pacific rail yard.
“It’s not clear at this point whether the operation of the remote-controlled locomotive in any way contributed to the event,” said Warren Flatau, a spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration.
One of the tankers spilled 30,000 gallons of the highly flammable liquid vinyl acetate, officials said.
The resulting fire led to the evacuation of scores of homes. At least four people went to the hospital complaining of respiratory problems.
Flatau said the investigation will probably take at least two months.