EARLY SATURDAY MORNING A TRAIN DERAILMENT in Lafayette, Louisiana, caused a tank car filled with hydrochloric acid to split open and leak.  The railcar was carrying 12,000 gallons of product and approx. 10,000 gallons eventually leaked out.

AP / Brandon photo

The incident took place directly under a bridge carrying Interstate 10 highway traffic.  The emergency called for a total evacuation of a 1-mile perimeter around the 6-car wreck.

Even though the area involved is mostly commercial, there were about 3,000 residents, including a nursing home, that had to be removed from the area.  The BNSF railway train was going no more than 10 mph when it went off the track.  So far, officials have not yet determined what caused the derailment.

Residents were being told to expect to be away from their homes for 48 hours.  The evacuation is only precautionary because of the potential hazard while crews were removing the acid and the affected railcars.  Hydrochloric acid can cause serious respiratory problems and skin irritations.

Lafayette Advertiser/Kemp photo

Recovery crews laid down a lime base over the spill area to neutralize the acid first before the rigs were brought in to re-rail the cars.  After that was done late last night, then soil and water samples have to be taken and any problems resolved before the area can be repopulated.

The Lafayette Advertiser has the STORY.

The AP has this video report: