(The following article by Jim McKinnon and Torsten Ove was posted on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website on October 24.)
PITTSBURGH — Salvage crews at the scene of Friday night’s fiery train derailment in New Brighton pulled the last remaining burned-out tanker car from the trestle yesterday afternoon and continued hauling other cars out of the Beaver River.
Residents were allowed back into their houses, although those living on Second Avenue nearest the crash were asked to park their cars a few blocks away and walk to their houses to keep the area clear for emergency vehicles.
An 80-car Norfolk Southern train hauling 100,000 gallons of ethanol from Chicago to New Jersey derailed at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, sending tanker cars plunging into the river.
The National Transportation Safety Board still is trying to determine the cause.
New Brighton Fire Chief Jeff Bolland said firefighters extinguished the last fire at about midnight Sunday.
Chief Bolland said the railroad was trying to restore full rail service as quickly as possible, although no one could say yesterday if the trestle is damaged.
Rudy Husband, spokesman for the railroad, said main tracks like the ones on the trestle are inspected regularly.
As spectators watched from across the river yesterday, dented and burned tanker cars were being recovered and stacked in Big Rock Park, where crews had to cut an access road to reach the scene.
Larry Morley, borough manager, said the railroad will pay for any damage to the park.
At a nearby church, Norfolk Southern was offering financial compensation to residents displaced by the accident, and will continue to do so all week.
The railroad also is meeting with any business owners whose operations were disrupted by the wreck.
Residents of New Brighton and nearby Beaver Falls were rocked by the explosion Friday, and the conflagration could be seen for miles as flames reached high above the treetops throughout the night. Emergency crews allowed most of the fuel to burn off.
Firefighters and other personnel moved close to the blaze early yesterday morning to siphon the remaining fuel from the tanker cars and make sure the last fire was out.
One lower rail line had been reopened for freight traffic, but the track was closed again yesterday morning for repairs. Passenger trains that normally use that track were detoured about 21/2 miles around the site.
Betsy Mallison, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said workers also were flushing the embankment next to the trestle with water to wash away any remaining ethanol. She said the spill had minimal environmental impact.