Hazardous rail spill in US forces 5,000 to evacuate
MARYVILLE, Tennessee—A CSX train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire in the middle of the night in eastern Tennessee, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people and sending dozens to the hospital with respiratory issues and nausea.
The fire was still burning around Thursday noon, and officials said firefighters had been unable to get close to the burning car because of the heat. Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell said there were also concerns that the fumes contained cyanide, a byproduct of burning the chemical acrylonitrile, which was leaking from the train car. The smoke had stopped by 6 p.m., however, Mitchell said.
About 5,000 people in the area were being evacuated, along with several businesses. A manufacturing plant, Denso Manufacturing, closed down on Thursday morning because of its proximity to the derailment, Blount County firefighter Kermit Easterling said.
Officials said firefighters had been trying to hose down neighboring rail cars and keep them cool while also trying to move them away from the flames.
The damaged car was carrying liquid acrylonitrile, which officials said is a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes including making plastics. It’s flammable and it’s dangerous if inhaled. The Environmental Protection Agency says some effects of breathing acrylonitrile include headaches, dizziness, irritability and rapid heartbeat.
Fifty-two people were treated at Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, and 25 were admitted, hospital spokesperson Josh West said. None had life-threatening injuries, but were experiencing respiratory issues, skin irritation and nausea, West said.
Ten first responders were treated at the hospital after breathing fumes.
CSX regional vice president for state government affairs Craig Camuso said authorities didn’t know how much acrylonitrile was spewing out and burning, or how much remained in the tank.