(The Associated Press circulated the following article on May 4.)
MATEWAN, W.Va. — Three Mingo County schools were closed Thursday after an early morning train derailment blocked state Route 49.
Four cars of a 99-car Norfolk Southern freight train jumped the tracks about 1:30 a.m., said Mingo County emergency official Mark Miller.
Because of the blockage, Matewan high school, middle school and elementary school were closed for the day.
Miller said the freight cars also hit the town’s floodwall, causing an undetermined amount of damage to the structure.