(The following article was posted on the Emporia Gazette website on February 16.)
EMPORIA, Kan. — An environmental crew from Wichita working to clear away remnants of a hazardous materials spill Wednesday morning at the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe yards.
The spill, which originated from a tank car, occurred approximately one block west of West Street and south of the railroad tracks.
“Apparently there was a crack in the metal on the tank,” said Steve Forsberg, BNSF spokesman. “The car lost its contents. It was ethanol denatured alcohol, so we’re using a vacuum truck to vacuum up the spilled liquid.”
The environmental crew will follow up with cleaning or removing soil below the spill, Forsberg said.