(The following story by Marci Piltz appeared on the Bedford Record-Courier website on January 17.)
SUFFIELD, Ohio — Five railroad cars carrying crude oil to a transfer station in Akron derailed early Wednesday on the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway line in the township.
Bill Callison, president of the railway, said a 13-car train was traveling northbound from the Canton area when the derailment occurred sometime around 1:30 a.m. in the area of U.S. 224 and Martin Road.
The train was carrying light crude oil from a Mineral City location to a CSX transfer station in Akron, Callison said, and was traveling about 11 mph when the derailment occurred.
None of the derailed cars were leaking, Callison said, and no injuries were reported as a result of the mishap. However, the Ohio EPA was contacted as a precaution.
A member of the Suffield Fire Department, which initially responded to the scene, said Wednesday the scene was handed over to railway officials since there were no injuries or leaking fluids.
Callison said of the five cars that derailed, three remained upright and off the track while the remaining two fell onto their sides.
He said the railroad would contact special contractors to pick up the cars and re-rail them. Until the contractors look at the cars and determine how to do that, Callison said he could not guess how long the process might take.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation by the railroad.