(The following story by Dale Lezon appeared on the Houston Chronicle website on November 23, 2009.)
HOUSTON — More than a dozen cars of a freight train derailed near the intersection of South Main and Hiram Clarke in southwest Houston this morning, prompting a call for those in the area to take shelter indoors as emergency crews work the scene.
The derailment was reported before 11:30 a.m., according to the Houston Fire Department. A chief on the scene said 16 cars went off the tracks.
South Main, which doubles as U.S. 90A, is closed in the area between South Post Oak and Hiram Clarke. The Union Pacific tracks run along the north side of the highway.
Union Pacific did not immediately return a call seeking information.
Some hopper cars spilled their loads of ammonium nitrate and coal, emergency officials said, and some tanker cars also were on their sides. Some of the coal spilled onto the westbound lanes of South Main, and officials did not know what is aboard the tanker cars.
Houston ISD officials put nearby Shearn and Red elementary schools on a shelter-in-place notice as a precaution.
No injuries were reported, and few other details were immediately available.