Train carrying hazardous material derails

Associated Press

MARYVILLE, Tenn.

A local official said smoke quit rising Thursday afternoon from the site where a CSX train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire in eastern Tennessee, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.

Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell said shortly before 6 p.m. that he and others had visited the site and the smoke had stopped.

Earlier, officials said firefighters had been unable to get close to the burning car because of the heat. Mitchell said there were also concerns that the fumes contained cyanide, a byproduct of burning the chemical acrylonitrile, which was leaking from the train car.

Officials said firefighters had been trying to hose down neighboring rail cars and keep them cool while also trying to move them away from the flames.

The derailment late Wednesday prompted the evacuation of thousands of people within a mile-and-a-half radius.

The damaged car was carrying liquid acrylonitrile, which officials said is a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes including making plastics. It’s flammable and it’s dangerous if inhaled. The EPA says some effects of breathing acrylonitrile include headaches, dizziness, irritability and rapid heartbeat.

Josh West, spokesman for Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, said 52 people had come in for treatment there as of 5 p.m. and that 25 had been admitted. He said some of the others were discharged and some remained in the emergency room for observation. He said none had life-threatening injuries but rather conditions such as respiratory issues, skin irritation and nausea.

Ten first responders received hospital treatment after breathing fumes.

At a 4:30 p.m. news conference, CSX regional vice president for state government affairs Craig Camuso said authorities didn’t know how much acrylonitrile was spewing out and burning or how much remained in the tank.