A train hauling a chemical used for dry cleaning clothes derailed early Monday, prompting evacuations in a Philadelphia suburb in the latest instance of a freight train to go off its rails.
The CSX train derailed about 4:50 a.m. on Norfolk Southern tracks in Whitemarsh Township, Pa., about 14 miles from downtown Philadelphia. No injuries or chemical spill were reported. Crews from both railroads were at the scene while beginning cleanup efforts, railroad officials said.
CSX said 16 of 40 rail cars derailed, including one carrying tetrachloroethylene — an agent that is widely used for dry cleaning — while the contents of other cars weren’t immediately available. CSX spokeswoman Sheriee Bowman said the cause of the derailment appears to be a sinkhole stemming from weather-related issues.
“There is no indication of any leaks or spills of hazardous materials and there are no injuries to the crew of the train,” CSX said in a statement.
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“There is no risk to the public,” Norfolk Southern said in a statement.
The derailment comes nearly six months after a Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio prompted multiple federal investigations and safety advisories. That incident spilled a flammable gas near East Palestine, setting off a public health scare and fueling calls for stricter regulation and higher fines for railroad safety breaches.
Share this articleShareThat derailment was caused by an overheating wheel bearing on one of the train’s 149 cars. Dozens of cars came off the tracks — including 11 that were carrying hazardous chemicals, starting a fire. Nearby residents were evacuated and still have questions about the effects on their health.
On Monday, Whitemarsh Township first responders evacuated residents and businesses closest to the derailment site, the town said in a statement, adding that those were “precautionary evacuations” and that there was “no known hazard to the public.” The evacuation order was lifted at 9 a.m., railroad officials said.
About 1,000 trains derail annually nationwide, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, ranging from small mishaps to serious incidents. Most occur at low speeds in rail yards.
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