(The following article by Rachel Leifer was posted on the Hattiesburg American website on January 7.)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Eight cars in a train hauling coal derailed in downtown Hattiesburg on Friday night, spilling piles of coal along railroad tracks near Mississippi 42 and Providence Street.
A ninth rail car also left the tracks and separated completely from the train, nearly crashing into two vehicles that were waiting at a railroad crossing shortly after 10 p.m. when the accident happened.
Lt. Tim Jackson of the Hattiesburg Police Department said no hazardous materials were spilled in the derailment. Jackson said no one was seriously injured.
First responders, however, tended to Debra S. Ellis, 22, who was in her car waiting to cross the tracks when the train derailed. Ellis complained of anxiety and pain in her leg from the effort to get her car out of the way, said her mother, Debra Ellis Sr.
“If she hadn’t been able to move her car, she could have been crushed,” the mother said as she stood near the ambulance and the car her daughter drove.
Christian Butler, 16, and Devin Hodges, 15, both of Petal, were on their way to get something to eat and were waiting behind Ellis’ car for the train to pass.
“The train wheels started sparking, and then the whole car nearest us started wobbling,” said Butler, who was driving. “Then we saw the car that had separated coming straight at us.”
Piles of coal spilled out from the sides of the derailed cars, and police blocked off parts of Mississippi 42. Police said it was too early to say when the coal will be cleaned up or when all roads would be reopened.
“I don’t even have a guess on that,” Jackson said.
Police did not know any information about the train, including the railroad company, how many cars it had and where it was headed.
Personnel who appeared to be connected with the railroad company declined to comment.
Nathan Ribelin of French Camp was driving home when he said he saw the sparks flying from the train wheels and heard the “screeching sound of metal on metal.”
“It was pretty wild,” said Ribelin.