(The following article by Diane Kubiak was posted on the Gary Post Tribune website on November 12.)
GARY, Ind. — About 30 freight cars derailed in an early morning accident Saturday at Mittal Steel, but no one was injured.
Burns Harbor Fire Chief Bill Arney said passing CSX and Norfolk Southern trains apparently sideswiped each other. He said there might have been a load shift in one of the cars, causing the two trains to scrape, but railroad officials will continue to investigate, he said.
Because two tank trucks were involved, Arney notified Porter County Hazmat officials. The smell of an alcohol-based product at the scene was from a vapor emitted by a pressure-relieving vent, he said.
“It was not a leak,” he said. “It was not hazardous.”
Arney said about 30 cars were either off the track or tipped.
The incident occurred on Mittal Steel property, north of U.S. 12, between a railroad yard area and the main gate, Arney said.
“It was a safe area,” Arney said. “They don’t run high speed through there.”
Firefighters cleared the scene about 7:30 a.m. and remained on call throughout the morning.