Another CN derailment.

[DjInferno]

A train carrying chemicals derailed around 4:15 Thursday afternoon in Salem, Ill.

The incident occurred on the Canadian National railroad line northeast of a grain elevator on Tonti Road. It appears the train was carrying about 60 cars; around 20 cars derailed, including two chemical cars.

The Marion County Sheriff's Department says the train was reportedly carrying some type of acid, which has leaked out of the cars. There are no reports of injuries. It is not known what caused the derailment.

Traffic on I-57 is shut down in both directions as a result of the derailment.

The train derailment occurred in a rural area about three miles northwest of the city center, but residents within a half-mile radius of the site have been evacuated as a precaution.

The track also serves Amtrak's City of New Orleans train route, which runs from Chicago to New Orleans. An Amtrak spokesperson says the company is working on a contingency plan for affected passengers.

A call to Canadian National was not immediately returned.

Salem, a town of about 7,500, is 87 miles east of St. Louis.



Our hazmat (Mt. Vernon) just got called at 6 for it. They just left a few minutes ago. I was in class so I didn't hear the full story, but its rumored to be sulfuric acid. Apparantly a couple dry bulk containers ruptured too.
ISP is gonna be thrilled closing the interstate again. We had it closed for 3 hours this morning 15 miles from there!

DJ

[DjInferno]

here's another pic. By the way..first one courtesy of KSDK.com. this one is from KMOV.com

[tfpd109]

Hmmmm, same line that runs through here.... Couldn't tell though as we still had a billion trains pass through.... maybe they will slow down a bit! BTW, I'm just glad it didn't happen here, cuz thats one mess I wouldn't want to play with.

[DjInferno]

More details are starting to come out of Salem. KSDK.com seems to be updating the best right now. I have not spoken to any of our guys on scene, all I know is what I am reading!

Here is the link for the story complete with pictures and video!

http://ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=1036 93

DJ

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

I can turn around and see the "Main Line of Mid-America" right out my window....About 275 miles from you DJ. At least they didnt dump tons of coal onto I-57 this time.

[kprsn1]

Fortunately no injuries and no leaks. I-57 is now open and most families got to go back to their homes about 01:30 this morning. Seems like the organization went well. Salem, Kinmundy-Alma, and Centralia City worked the scene while Iuka, Kell, and Odin moved up to cover Salem, Centralia District went on stand-by to help Centralia if they had any calls, and we moved up to help cover Odin.

[DjInferno]

kprsn1..are you from Sandoval fire? If so, were you at the structure fire in Junction City on Friday?

[kprsn1]

Yes DJ, I was there. Dave M. was there and a friend of his from Mt. Vernon fire too who was helping him move. Wished that fire would have went better. The modular home just went up so fast that it was hard to get control of it before it was too late especially since no one was home when it started and all of the windows were open. Fortunately no one was injured. Initial reports were that it possibly started from the clothes dryer that the owner had started before leaving the residence but the fire marshal believes the fire started from ashes (cigarette?) placed in a trash can.

Chad

[DjInferno]

I was there! I was Dave's friend from Mt. Vernon.

You guys didn't really stand a chance on that one. It was getting toned out when we got to Dave's house. We went down to check it out and it was blazing. It just had too big of a jump on you guys. I will say I am impressed how quick it got knocked down. You guys did a great job! You have good mutual aid too! Centralia Rural was there quicker than I though they could have been. All in all, I think it went as well as it possibly could have gone!

DJ

[kprsn1]

Thanks DJ. Your dad sent me an email this morning telling me it was you. I apologize for not at least saying hello to a fellow fireman. I saw you in your MVFD shirt and walked by you a couple of times but had things on my mind. Not sure if you know who I was or if Dave told you. I was the short guy in the white captain's helmet yelling at everyone! :D I was a bit down afterwards though. I hate it when anyone loses their home or belongings in a fire but it especially stings when there are kids involved who lose their stuff. I have kids and couldn't imagine having to tell them all of their things are gone.

Centralia District and Odin are great. Odin is usually already at their station and out the door for us before they even get toned and District isn't far behind.

I told your dad to let you know that if you saw anything that we could have done better or differently to send me an email. I always want us to get better as a department and I like a perspective from a different set of eyes. Don't be afraid to be critical either. I can handle it! :D

Thanks again and don't be hesitate to grab me by the arm next time and we'll talk shop!

Chad

[DjInferno]

Honestly Chad I was very impressed! We went down to check it out before Dave decided to go the station and I thought it was done for. No water supply, and it had a head start prior to you being notified. Those are hard ones, especially in the middle of the day. We went back to your station and I sat around for a little bit waiting. Well, that got old...so I found the water jug, filled it up and came out! (as if I could just sit around the station anyway...) I was shocked any of the house was still standing. I really thought about it..trying to find something constructively critical, but nothing comes to mind. Although there was one guy (VERY new rookie from what Dave said) that I had to show how to breakdown hose. Those couplings are tricky :)

DJ

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

There was a derailment along the CN line in Homewood Illinois this evening. No leaks but there were quite a few cars overturned.

[jboczek]

That's good, Mike. Keep them up North!

[MikeCifn2]

great information guys. I have been researching trying to figure out if anyone has mentioned the reason for the derailment anyone heard yet?

[MikeCifn2]

Fortunately no injuries and no leaks. I-57 is now open and most families got to go back to their homes about 01:30 this morning. Seems like the organization went well. Salem, Kinmundy-Alma, and Centralia City worked the scene while Iuka, Kell, and Odin moved up to cover Salem, Centralia District went on stand-by to help Centralia if they had any calls, and we moved up to help cover Odin.

Flora/Clay County ESDA assisted with traffic control

[DjInferno]

http://wsiltv.com/p/news_details.php?newsID=1355&type=
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=1085 97

Here we go again...well actually its Union Pacific this time! All we've heard is that its leaking, and i don't think anyone even knows what it is yet!! 21 cars and two locomotives, sounds like a big one!

Is it just me, or is this happenening a lot more than it used to? Maybe its just happening around here a lot more than it used to....

[pmed19]

I'm with the Buckner Fire Dept. and I heard it go out this morning. They had trouble finding which train it was at first. I did hear that one of the Zeigler officers got a little too close to the leaking car and that two Christopher FF's were being treated by EMS personnel at the scene. It now appears to be much larger than they first thought. Very little details being released right now.

[pmed19]

As of 16:45 the incident was terminated. All Fire/EMS crews were released from the scene. The railroad stated that they expect to have the line up and running by noon tomorrow and that all residents are being allowed back into their homes. Only a petrol based liquid was released at the scene, not the corrosive they first though. UP crews will remain on the scene along with EPA officials to clean up the mess over the next few days. There were several people taken to local hospitals as a precaution before they knew exactly what was leaking.

[Firefighter2160]

Yea it was a pretty big mess I was there , The MABAS Box alarm toned out at around 4 AM for the division 45 hazmat team. it was damn cold in the morning too LOL. Was a very well run scene West Frankfort was IC and craig did a great job! All the Dept's worked very well togther which is great to see.

it could have been a ton worse than it was it had 3 engines, the first one was still on the tracks, the second 2 jumped off the tracks along with the 2 or 3 cars behind them. but they all stayed upright, they probably went a 1/4 mile rising on the railroad ties had to be a rough ride. The other 21 were back behinf them about 1/4 mile, Lucky just the lubricant material leaked out and it was considered non hazmat, however we had to stay on scene until the cars with the acid were lifted and checked for leaks, I guess we cleared some where around 3:30 PM

Crews were there from, (see if i can remember them all) Christopher, Zeigler, Marion, Williamson County Fire, Metropolis, West Frankfort, Benton, Herrin, hope I did not leave anyone out.

I have been thinking about upgrading to a camera phone and dumping my push to talk phone, wish i had the camera phone I would have had some killer close up shots of this one

[pmed19]

I listened to it on the pager until I went to work at 5:30am. It sounded like WF did a wonderful job. Part of me wishes we had been asked to help and part of me is glad we were not. Very cold out there but it was almost in our back yard. Anyway, good job by those involved. Nice to see that the MABAS callout worked well. We are members and I like when things work well and turn out for the best.