Thousands Evacuated After Train Hauling Chemicals Catches Fire in Tennessee
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ABCNews.com(BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn.) — A train carrying chemicals partially derailed and caught fire overnight in Blount County, Tennessee, displacing up to 5,000 people, authorities said.
The CSX train was traveling from Cincinnati to Waycross, Georgia when the fire broke out, said Kristin Seay with CSX Corporate Communications. The train was carrying liquefied petroleum gas and acrylonitrile – a product used in the manufacture of plastics.
As many as three cars derailed, Blount County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Marian O’Briant said.
Local fire authorities ordered a one-mile evacuation, and Hazmat crews responded to the scene, O’Briant said.
“Evacuation time could last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, but we’ll get word out as soon as we can,” she said.
No serious injuries for first responders or residents have been reported.
The train includes two locomotives, 45 loaded rail cars carrying mixed freight and 12 empty rail cars, Seay said.
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