http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/clara_city_train_derailment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:05:09 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13270 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13270 Clara City train derailment evacuees were allowed to return to their homes around 4:00 p.m. yesterday, 12 hours after a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train ran off the tracks outside of town.  Nearly 400 people from the small Minnesota town had been forced to take refuge in a church early yesterday morning after one of the derailed train’s tanker cars ruptured and began leaking hydrochloric acid. Fortunately, good weather and even better luck had kept the Clara City train derailment from becoming a major tragedy.

The Clara City train derailment occurred at 3:30 a.m. as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was a half mile outside of town, and evacuations began around 4:30 a.m.  The train hit another parked train, sending at least 80 cars from the Burlington Northern train off the tracks.  The leaking tanker sent a cloud of hydrochloric acid floating over Clara City.   Inhaling hydrochloric acid vapors can cause coughing, choking, inflammation of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema, circulatory failure, and death.  The vapors from hydrochloric acid can irritate and damage the eyes, and direct contact with the toxin can cause redness, pain, and severe skin burns.

Several thousand gallons of hydrochloric acid spilled from the derailed Burlington Northern Santa Fe tanker, but fortunately the chemical was a weak dilution, and the weather was calm.  Because of that, no one was injured in the Clara City train derailment; however about 400 people from the west and north side of town were evacuated to the Bethany Reformed Church in Santa Clara.  All public schools in the area were shut down, and several roads where closed around the scene of the Clara City train derailment.  Some volunteers who went door to door to warn residents to evacuate did report a burning sensation in their noses.  

Though residents were reportedly relieved that the Clara City train derailment did not turn into a tragedy, the West Central Tribune reported that many were concerned that the situation could have been worse.  The mayor of Clara City told the newspaper that “if it would have been closer to town, it would have been a different story.”  And emergency officials said that the good weather was a blessing, as hydrochloric acid can become a dangerous mist if it is exposed to rain.

Work crews from West Central Environmental Services and the City of St. Paul hazardous waste team spent the day smothering the spilled hydrochloric acid from the Clara City train derailment with lime to neutralize it.  By late afternoon the hydrochloric acid spill had been contained, allowing Clara City train derailment evacuees to return home.  Air quality tests indicated that the level of hydrochloric acid present near the town was below .5 parts per million, a level that is not considered dangerous.

The stretch of railroad track involved in the Clara City train derailment, which handles more than a dozen trains a day, was expected to reopen this morning.   However, it could be four days before all of the wrecked cars are removed from the site of the Clara City Train derailment.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13264 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13264
The Clara City train derailment occurred on the west side of Clara City, a town of 1,350 people about 95 miles from Minneapolis.  According to town officials, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was passing through Clara City when it struck a parked train at approximately 4:00 a.m. At least 50 cars from the Burlington Northern train came off the tracks, and one tanker that was known to be carrying hydrochloric acid had ruptured and was leaking.  Hydrochloric acid is a highly corrosive and toxic liquid that can become a mist if it comes in contact with water.  Inhaling hydrochloric acid vapors can cause coughing, choking, inflammation of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema, circulatory failure, and death.  The vapors from hydrochloric acid can irritate and damage the eyes, and direct contact with the toxin can cause redness, pain, and severe skin burns.

Though no injuries were reported from the Clara City train derailment, about 400 people living on the west and north sides of town, as well as several outlying farms, were evacuated to the Bethany Reformed Church.   Town officials said that it could be more than 6 hours before the Clara City train derailment evacuees would be able to return to their homes, and they were instructed to bring any pets and vital medications with them.

The Clara City train derailment also forced the closure of schools in the MacCray School District.  That school district serves students in the towns of Clara City, Raymond and Maynard.  District officials made the decision to close all schools after it was discovered that the chemical cloud created by the Clara City train derailment had headed in the direction of the high school parking lot in Clara City.  That parking lot is used by school buses for picking up and dropping off students from several elementary schools. In addition, state highways 7 and 23 had to be closed because of the Clara City train derailment, making student transport difficult.

By mid morning, officials had determined that the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train had stopped leaking hydrochloric acid.  However, it was expected that the chemical cloud created by the Clara City train derailment hydrochloric acid leak would take several more hours to dissipate.   A hazardous chemical team from nearby Morris, Minnesota, is currently at the scene to assess the extent of the damage caused by the Clara City train derailment.  Crews were preparing to apply soda ash and lime at the accident site in an attempt to contain the hydrochloric acid spill.   The Red Cross has also been dispatched to the Bethany Reformed Church to assist the Clara City train derailment evacuees.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/clara_city_train_derailment Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/clara_city_train_derailment Clara City, MN Train Derailment A train derailed outside Clara City, Minnesota, about 95 miles from Minneapolis, early on the morning of October 29, 2007.  The Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train was carrying hydrochloric acid, a highly toxic chemical.  As a result, about a third of Clara City’s 1,340 residents were evacuated as a precaution.
 
The Clara City train derailment occurred at 4:00 a.m. when the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train hit another train that was parked on the track.   The Clara City train derailment took place under an overpass of Highway 7 on the west side of town.  At least 50 cars on the freight train derailed, and some of them were leaking hydrochloric acid.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Train Derailment Causes Leak of Hydrochloric Acid
It was not immediately known how many cars on the derailed Burlington Northern Santa Fe train had been carrying hydrochloric acid, and Clara City officials could not say how many might be leaking.  Hydrochloric acid is a highly corrosive and toxic liquid that can become a mist if it comes in contact with water.  Inhaling hydrochloric acid vapors can cause coughing, choking, inflammation of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema, circulatory failure, and death.  The vapors from hydrochloric acid can irritate and damage the eyes, and direct contact with the toxin can cause redness, pain, and severe skin burns.

Our Train Derailment Lawsuit Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one has been affected by the Clara City, MN train derailment in any way please contact one of our lawsuit lawyers today by calling 1800-LAW-INFO or by filling out our online case review for to the right for a free case evaluation.

Clara City Residents Evacuated, Following Burlington Northern Santa Fe Train Derailment
Because of the danger posed to Clara City residents by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train derailment, about 400 residents from the west and north sides of Clara City were evacuated, as well as some area farms.  Most of those evacuated were sent to the Bethany Reformed Church in Clara City.  Classes in the MacCray Public School District were also cancelled, after it was determined that the toxic cloud released by the Clara City train derailment had headed in the direction of the high school parking lot in town.  That parking lot is used by school buses for picking up and dropping off students from several elementary schools.

By mid-morning the derailed Burlington Northern Santa Fe train had stopped leaking hydrochloric acid.  However, because of the chemical cloud that was still lingering over Clara City, residents remained evacuated.   At the time, officials said that it would be more than six hours before the Clara City train derailment evacuees could go home.

Train Derailment Lawsuit Lawyers
If you or a loved one have been affected by the Clara City Burlington Northern Santa Fe  train derailment in any way please contact our lawsuit attorneys today by calling 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) or by filling out or case review form to the right.]]>