(The following report by Mary Moreno appeared on the San Antonio Express-News website on October 21.)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A white powder spilling from a Union Pacific train near Palo Alto College temporarily shut down part of a street Wednesday morning but caused few problems.
A passer-by noticed the crystalline white powder falling from the bottom hatch of a parked railcar and called police to the site at West Chavaneaux Road and Commercial Avenue just before 8 a.m.
Authorities identified the powder as alumina, which is used to make rebar and steel. They said it is not toxic.
Chavaneaux Road was closed, but no evacuations or other precautions were ordered. The spill caused few traffic problems because Chavaneaux Road is little-traveled.
Officials do not know how long the alumina had leaked from the car, but Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said between 100 and 200 pounds trickled out.
Davis said the hatch was resealed and the powder was swept up. The area was cleared by 11 a.m.
Prior to Wednesday’s incident, Union Pacific trains have derailed in Bexar County five times in five months.
The most serious derailment came June 28 when a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train collided with a Union Pacific train, puncturing four railcars carrying chlorine gas and ammonium nitrate.
Leaking fumes killed three people and sent about 50 others to area hospitals.