(The following report appeared on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website on September 21.)
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Four train cars went off the tracks at an East St. Louis area rail yard about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, setting fire to a spilled chemical and possibly sickening about 75 people at a St. Louis high school hours later, authorities said.
Nobody was reported hurt at the accident site, in the Alton and Southern yard between the Sauget Industrial Park and East St. Louis. Approximately 140 people living nearby were evacuated about 4:30 a.m. and returned home about 8:30 a.m., authorities said.
Also about 8:30, St. Louis firefighters were called to a report of a strange odor at the Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, a St. Louis public high school at 1000 North Grand Boulevard. It is about four miles northwest of the train fire. Tests of the air there found no toxins.
Several students and staff reported headaches and nausea an hour later. About 75 were examined and released at hospitals.
On advice of experts, fire officials let the cargo spilled from two tank cars – vinyl acetate – burn itself out. It is a highly flammable, sweet-smelling liquid used in making glue and paper. The cause of the derailment was not known.
Mark Ritter, the St. Louis environmental health manager, said officials theorized that the strange odor at the school – also reported in parts of downtown – originated from the fire.
The railroad is inviting anyone with questions or claims to call a hot line at 866-869-2834.