(The following article by Beth Smith was posted on the Henderson Gleaner’s website on June 26.)
HENDERSON, Ky. — Three cars from a CSX train carrying chemicals to Brenntag “derailed but did not roll” Wednesday evening at the railroad crossing on Clay Street near Atkinson.
There were no injuries.
According to Henderson Fire Chief Terry Lewis, the cars — which came off the track “by a couple of inches” — were intact and not leaking.
“There was no breach in the (cars),” he said.
One car was carrying roughly 10,000 gallons of sulfuric acid and two were each loaded with about 10,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide, Lewis said. Information on what the chemicals are used for was unavailable.
The rail cars were part of a slowing moving train traveling on a side track that diverts from the main track, he said.
The Henderson Fire Department, the local Emergency Management Agency, representatives from CSX, Brenntag officials and Brenntag’s hazardous material team were on the scene. CSX had, at press time, also called for Summit Environment, an environmental clean-up crew from Evansville.
Lewis said there’s a “1 percent” chance that when the cars are put back on the tracks that something will start leaking.
“We are setting ourselves up just in case something happens,” he said.
To get the cars back on the tracks, Lewis said CSX will bring in wedges that will guide the wheels back to the tracks.
Once CSX has the equipment in place, Lewis said Clay Street would be closed for about 20 minutes while they righted the cars.
Lewis said the cars would probably be on track by 11 p.m.