USA TODAY International Edition
Union Pacific train cars carrying coal derail in Nebraska
More than two dozen Union Pacific train cars carrying coal derailed early Tuesday morning in Nebraska, the rail company confirmed.
At roughly 1: 45 a. m. central standard time, 31 Union Pacific train cars derailed in the city of Gothenburg, Nebraska, according to Union Pacific’s Kristen South.
South said there were no injuries. One of the train tracks near the derailment site reopened at 8 a. m. local time as crews moved in with heavy equipment to begin cleanup, South said.
Tuesday’s derailment in Nebraska comes weeks after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train near East Palestine, Ohio, led to a chemical spill that prompted evacuations and lingering health concerns from the community.
Other recent train derailments in Ohio, Michigan
Ohio train derailment Feb. 3:
● The derailment caused a controlled release of vinyl chloride, used to make plastic products, to prevent an explosion.
● Federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.
● The agencies maintain that the community’s air and water are safe after residents complained of headaches and skin rashes and expressed longterm health concerns.
Michigan train derailment:
Another Norfolk Southern train also derailed in Michigan last week. Thirty cars derailed around 30 miles west of downtown Detroit. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, D- Ann Arbor, said on Twitter that the EPA, who responded to the derailment, found that the majority of derailed cars were empty and a rail car containing hazardous material was not derailed.