http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/csx_train_accident Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:23:03 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12473 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12473
Mark Rosenker, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said it could take more than a year for officials to determine what likely caused the crash Tuesday that spewed clouds of hazardous chemicals over Brooks. But officials had all but ruled out sabotage.

The CSX crew reported feeling slack among the cars, a common occurrence, Rosenker said after climbing a hill near Brooks. Shortly after that, the crew felt two short tugs and the emergency brake deployed, he said, adding, "There is no reason to believe it is anything other than an accident."

Roughly 500 people in the area were evacuated, and federal and county officials could not say when residents might be able to return home. Several homes sustained significant damage, officials said.

The 80-car train was headed to Louisville from Birmingham, Ala., when it derailed about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. At least 14 cars caught fire, including 12 containing hazardous materials, according to CSX and federal officials.

A car filled with cyclohexane, a colorless liquid used as a solvent and in nylon production, continued to burn yesterday afternoon, and firefighters started a controlled burn, in a huge pit, of 90,000 gallons of 1, 3-butadiene from three rail cars.

Fire officials said they hoped to have the fires extinguished by noon today.

By evening, CSX contractors were monitoring the controlled burn and firefighters with local departments were on standby in case of an emergency.

Chris Simpson, a volunteer lieutenant with the Zoneton district, said he intended to keep working, even though he needed sleep.

"I'm here until it's all done," he said.

Air-quality samples are being taken at 19 locations, and three roaming teams also collect samples, said Steve Spurlin, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's on-scene coordinator.

So far they have found nothing of concern, he said last night.

Several businesses, including the 500 employees of the Geek Squad City electronics repair firm, reopened yesterday.

But Brooks Elementary School remains closed today, and the school's teachers, but not students, were told to report to Hebron Middle School, said John Roberts, a spokesman for Bullitt County Schools.

All other county schools are open today, but there will be no bus service along Ky. 1020 between Preston Highway and Brooks Hill Road.

Roberts said school officials would decide this afternoon whether Brooks Elementary will be closed tomorrow.

Also yesterday, CSX Corp. offered to reimburse expenses, such as restaurant meals and hotel bills, to residents forced to leave because of the crash.

CSX does not know how much the cleanup will cost, but company spokesman Bob Sullivan said the railroad would reimburse the Zoneton department and other emergency crews for overtime and other expenses.

Rosenker said investigators began questioning the two crew members about how they spent the 72 hours leading up to the derailment, in addition to what they saw and felt shortly before the crash.

There were no signs of any problems with the train in the minutes before the accident, according to the account crew members gave federal investigators.

The train passed another train about eight miles before it derailed. The CSX train's engineer said the other train's crew reported no apparent problems with the Louisville-bound train, Rosenker said.

The event recorder showed that the train was traveling 47 mph at the time of the crash. The train was authorized for speeds up to 50 mph.

The names of the 51-year-old conductor and 65-year-old engineer have not been released. They had been off duty for about 14 hours before the crash, more than the 12 hours required, Rosenker said.

Results from standard toxicology tests will be available within two weeks, he said.

Investigators inspected the four locomotives and the 14 cars at the head of the train yesterday, looking for nicks and abrasions that would indicate "if the train struck anything on the tracks," Rosenker said.

Federal officials also expected to receive maintenance records for the section of railroad where the derailment occurred. CSX inspected the tracks on Monday as part of routine, twice-a-week maintenance.

Tests investigators performed on cars and the section of track they could reach did not show any obvious defects, Rosenker said. He said he was unaware of previous accidents near the site.

Since the derailment, Kentucky environmental officials have been monitoring waterways for signs of possible chemical contamination. They found an unknown chemical in several tributaries of the Salt River on Tuesday.

Todd Giles, an official with the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, said waterways will be sampled for signs of contamination starting today.

Bullitt County farmer Joe Rhea, who lives about three miles north of Shepherdsville, said contractors for CSX skimmed derailment-related pollution all day from a creek that flows through his family's property and is downstream from the wreckage.

Rhea described the pollution as a "petroleum sheen" and "brown muck," and said a sharp odor from chemical vapors irritated his eyes.
]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/csx_train_accident Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/csx_train_accident CSX Train Accidents in Kentucky On January 16, 2007 a CSX freight train hauling chemical cargo derailed and ignited outside of Louisville, Kentucky forcing the evacuation of homes, closure of local roads and sending students home from school. Twenty-five cars went off the track and at least 14 caught fire. The 80-car train started out in Birmingham, Alabama, en route to Louisville, Kentucky, its final destination. As the cars burned, plumes of smoke could be seen in the air. Twenty-eight people have been treated for eye irritations and respiratory distress, local hospital officials said.

The state ordered the evacuation of all homes within one-mile of the accident and asked all residents of Bullitt County to stay inside, shut their windows and take pets inside said, a spokeswoman. Officials closed nearly 20 miles of Interstate 65 and restricted airspace over the fire, said, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. The chemical cyclohexane, which is highly flammable and can irritate eyes and skin, may have fueled the fire, said Maj. Lisa Rudzinski of the state police. Additionally one of the train cars contained the chemical butadiene, which is hazardous if inhaled, but it was not clear whether that car had ruptured, Major Rudzinski said.

A CSX spokesman, Gary Sease, stated one train car contained ethyl methyl ketone, a flammable solvent, two others contained maleic anhydride, a corrosive material used to make resins, and two others carried alcohol. Mr. Sease said the railroad was obligated to carry hazardous substances for its customers. Next month, the Department of Homeland Security will hold public hearings on its proposal to require railroads to continuously track tanker cars carrying chemicals that are “toxic inhalation hazards,” and bar them from leaving the cars parked or unattended for long periods.

The EPA and CSX are expected to sample the chemicals. The state also will evaluate whether wells in the area may be contaminated. The National Transportation Safety Board sent seven investigators and its chairman, Mark Rosenker. "This is a pretty catastrophic accident as it relates to derailments and a gas evacuation," Rosenker said, adding that the NTSB investigates only 16 to 18 of the 3,000 to 4,000 rail accidents each year.

This was CSX Transportation's second major train accident within 24 hours in Kentucky, which Gov. Ernie Fletcher said, "raises our concern more than normal." On January 15, 2006, four runaway CSX train cars rolled approximately 20 miles before they hit two engines and caused an explosion.  Some homes and business were evacuated, but no hazardous materials leaked.

If you or a loved one experienced health ailments or suffered monetary damages as a result of the two CSX train accidents in Kentucky, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Parker & Waichman, LLP for a free and confidential consultation about your potential case. Call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) or fill out the short form to the right.]]>