Tankers Loaded With Ethanol Burning and Exploding
Updated, 7:30 pm. Scroll down.
A NORFOLK SOUTHERN FREIGHT TRAIN hauling 60 tank cars derailed Sunday morning near Arcadia, Ohio. The wreck threw 18 to 20 cars, each carrying 18,000 gallons of ethanol, off the track and started a spectacular fire that led to several violent explosions.
Findlay Courier
Fortunately the accident occurred in a rural area and only about 20 homes had to be evacuated while the incident plays out. The fire departments on the scene are allowing the fires to burn themselves out while they standby on the perimeter with extra foam supplies being brought in as a precaution. The 100+ firefighters are also building dikes in nearby streams to contain any potential runoff.
At daybreak this morning most of the fires were out and railroad crews were attempting to separate the derailed cars from the rest of the train so that the remaining tank cars can be removed from the site. Small fires and hot hazards are expected to remain for several more hours yet.
The Associated Press filed this video summary of the incident:
The Toledo Blade has the early REPORT.
Update, 7:30 pm:
WTVG-TV Ch. 13 is reporting this evening:
Norfolk Southern says the train was headed from Chicago to North Carolina on an east-west line when it derailed at 2:20am today. All 62 cars on the train were carrying ethanol. Emergency officials say the cars that derailed carried 320,000 gallons of ethanol.The burning cars were separated from the other cars on the train but continued to burn for hours after the derailment. Authorities say they will be on scene into Sunday night.
As of 2 pm Eastern this afternoon some of the railcars were still burning.
Currently the cause of the derailement is still unknown.
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