Train car flips, spills flammable liquid in Upper Tyrone Township
Alyssa Choiniere | 蘑菇视频
Hazardous materials crews, firefighters and others responded to an overturned train car which spilled flammable liquid into a tributary of Jacobs Creek in Upper Tyrone Township. There were no injuries, and there was no danger to those in the area, officials said.
Alyssa Choiniere | 蘑菇视频
Hazardous materials crews, firefighters and others responded to an overturned train car which spilled flammable liquid into a tributary of Jacobs Creek in Upper Tyrone Township. There were no injuries, and there was no danger to those in the area, officials said.
Alyssa Choiniere | 蘑菇视频
Hazardous materials crews, firefighters and others responded to an overturned train car which spilled flammable liquid into a tributary of Jacobs Creek in Upper Tyrone Township. There were no injuries, and there was no danger to those in the area, officials said.
Hazardous materials crews, firefighters and others responded to an overturned train car which spilled flammable liquid into a tributary of Jacobs Creek in Upper Tyrone Township. There were no injuries, and there was no danger to those in the area, officials said.
A train car overturned in Upper Tyrone Township Thursday afternoon, causing about 200 gallons of a flammable liquid to spill into a tributary of Jacobs Creek, officials said.
The accident occurred near the intersection of Broadford and Woods roads at about 1 p.m. There was no danger to residents, and the leak did not pose any threat to fish or wildlife, according to Fayette County Emergency Management Agency Hazmat Director Jim Bittner. No injuries were reported.
Officials believe the brakes went out on the train car. It overturned when it hit a derailer, which is designed to flip an out-of-control car off the tracks.
鈥淭he derailer is designed to do just what it did 鈥� keep it from residential areas,鈥� he said.
The train car was dropped off at about 10 or 11 a.m. Another train was scheduled to pick up the car and take it into Everson Borough, but neighbors noticed it was flipped and spilling fuel. Officials stopped the leak when they arrived on scene. They estimated about 200 gallons of the industrial solvent spilled.
The tributary flows into Jacobs Creek, which eventually flows into the Youghiogheny River. Bittner said the spill would not have a negative effect on the river because it was stopped quickly. There was no need to evacuate the area, he said.
鈥淣o hazards to fish, nothing like that,鈥� he said.
The liquid 鈥� HF 1000 solvent 鈥� is flammable at temperatures above 178 degrees. Officials were monitoring the temperature of the tank in the sun, which was 80 degrees, Bittner said.
The train car is owned by the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad, which was sending a train to right the car Thursday. The company shares the line with the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co.
Train traffic was stopped until officials cleared the scene. A portion of Broadford Road was also closed.
Fayette County HazMat, Westmoreland County HazMat, Everson, Scottdale, Bullskin Township and Connellsville Township fire departments and Mutual Aid EMS responded to the scene.