(The following article by Deb Nicklay was posted on the Mason City Globe Gazette website on December 19.)
NORA SPRINGS, Iowa — The Sunday morning derailment here of an IC&E Railroad car, filled with anhydrous ammonia, was not life threatening, Fire Chief Bob Willsher said.
The single rail car was being moved to a side track about 7 a.m. Sunday when it accidentally hit a rail lock mechanism that forced the car off the track.
Firefighters were called to the scene but was no leakage of the potentially harmful farm chemical, Willsher said.
Rail employees were able to place the car back on the track later Sunday morning, he said.
Officials from IC&E could not be reached for comment.
The accident occurred in the southeast part of the city near the sewage disposal plant.
While some side street intersections were blocked for a time, no major roadways were affected.