November 12, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH100080)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R. Steve Huffman
Public Information Officer
(334) 208-5806/Fax: (334) 208-5813
E-Mail: huffman@ci.mobile.al.us
FOUR TRAIN CARS DERAIL, TWO CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
4 of 55 rail cars derailed in the rail yard along Telegraph Road on Sunday, November 12, 2000. Firefighters and Haz Mat Technicians from Mobile Fire-Rescue responded to the call at approximately 6:04 a.m. and arrived on the scene at approximately 6:06 a.m. to discover two of the four derailed cars contained hazardous materials. Both tankers had the wheels knocked off of them. It was unknown if any material had released from the two tankers until haz mat techs were able to make entry at which time they discovered no leaks. A few hours later haz mat techs made a second entry to the site to determine if the internal tank wall of the double walled tanker held as designed. It was discovered by way of a pressure check that the internal and external walls were neither damaged nor leaking. One tanker contained approximately 156,340 lbs. of Butadiene, a flammable Gas; the other contained approximately 180 thousand lbs. of Butyl Acrylate another Flammable Gas. Because no chemicals were leaking it was decided that no evacuation would be necessary, however traffic was blocked by Mobile Police on Telegraph Road and the I-165 Connector until the area was cleared. The hazardous cargo was shipped from Channelvi, Texas and Dear Park, Texas a suburb of Houston, Texas. It is believed the final destination was to be Mobile. Of the 55 cars, 33 were loaded, 22 were empty. The other two derailed cars were boxcars, one empty the other containing paper products. Burlington-Northern Railroad, which was transporting the cargo brought in two large cranes and lifted the two box cars first and placed them on the track and then lifted the tankers and placed them back on wheels so they could be moved to another area for further inspection. All cars were back on the track and traffic resumed at approximately 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening. No injuries were reported. The cause of the derailment is unknown and remains under investigation. Engines 21, 15, 2, 3, truck 10, rescue 3, Haz Mat 15 and District Chiefs John Hicks and Martin Stanley responded to the scene.
###
