Acid leak from train prompts brief scare
A CSX freight train car leaked hydrochloric acid late Tuesday afternoon near People’s Road in the Malden-West Camp section of Saugerties, prompting emergency officials to tell people to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.
The situation was resolved in less than two hours, after which authorities issued an “all clear” advisory.
Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra said the leak from the southbound train was noticed by the crew of a passing northbound train about 5 p.m. but that local authorities weren’t notified until roughly 45 minutes later.
Police issued the first alert, using the Nixle system and email, at 5:47 p.m., saying anyone experiencing respiratory distress as a result of the leak should call 911. A follow-up alert, at 6:26 p.m., said a CSX hazmat team had contained the leak and was making repairs but that people nearby should remain indoors and keep their windows closed.
The “all clear,” issued at 6:35 p.m., stated: “The train is no longer leaking. No need to further shelter in place.”
The situation initially was classified as being of “moderate severity,” meaning there was a “possible threat to life or property,” but Sinagra said there were no mandatory evacuations.
Sinagra said later that he had received no reports of people suffering health problems as a result of the leak.
Hydrochloric acid, a mineral acid with a variety of industrial uses, is corrosive to the eyes
and skin and the mucous membranes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Inhaling it can cause coughing, hoarseness, inflammation and ulceration of the respiratory tract, chest pains, pulmonary edema, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the EPA says, while skin contact can result in severe burns, ulceration and scarring.
Sinagra said CSX did not yet know how much hydrochloric acid leaked. He said the railroad would make that determination by gauging the pressure of the affected tank car.
The chief said the leak apparently was caused by a gasket failing.
The train remained stopped until about 7:45 p.m., blocking the Malden Turnpike crossing in Saugerties as a result. It then headed south to the rail yard in Kingston for any additional needed repairs, Sinagra said.
The police chief said he planned to talk to CSX officials about how much time passed between the leak being spotted and local authorities being told about it.