(The Associated Press distributed the following story on July 9.)
LOS ANGELES — County supervisors urged railroad companies Tuesday to notify local authorities when there are rail emergencies.
The move comes after a runaway Union Pacific train derailed last month in Commerce, barreling into homes and leaving six uninhabitable. Local officials complained that Union Pacific did not warn them about the train, but railroad companies are not required to alert local authorities of runaway cars unless they contain hazardous materials.
“We think this is something that needs to be changed,” Supervisor Gloria Molina said.
Board members approved a proposal by Molina asking the sheriff’s department to research a notification system for railroad emergencies.
Molina aide Miguel Santa said fire and sheriff’s department officials were working with railroad executives to create a plan for alerting the county’s Emergency Operations Center.
The Union Pacific cars derailed June 20 when dispatchers diverted them onto a side track because a passenger train and another freight train were in their path.
Union Pacific reported the incident to a state office 14 minutes after the car crashed.