Derailed train leaks hazardous liquid in Lakeland

A CSX freight train derailed early Monday in Lakeland, spilling a hazardous liquid near a neighborhood.

Nine of 192 rail cars left the tracks about 1:50 a.m., CSX officials said. No one was injured, but four of the nine rail cars contained molten sulfur, a hazardous material used in making rubber, detergent and fertilizer. Some of those cars were leaking the liquid, officials said.

Residents in the area were initially urged by county officials to stay inside, close their windows and turn off their air conditioners. By 9 a.m., Kevin Watler, a spokesman with Polk County Fire Rescue, said it was OK for residents to exit their homes — but he urged them to stay away from the crash scene.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, molten sulfur can form toxic and flammable gases.

Traffic in the area was snarled as dozens of workers removed the wreckage from the tracks.

The cause of the crash was under investigation. It’s unclear how fast the train was traveling.

Emergency officials from Polk County saw the derailment as they returned from a medical call, Watler said. They called hazmat crews and used a large hose to extinguish a fire in one of the cars.

The train was traveling from Waycross, Ga., to Winston. Of the 192 cars, 120 were loaded and 72 were empty. In addition to carrying molten sulfur, officials said the train was carrying cardboard, oats and rocks.

Typically, the cars hold 13,000 gallons of molten sulfur. Officials were trying to determine how much may have leaked.