South Carolina Ping
Posted on 01/06/2005 8:37:59 AM PST by Peach
AP Photo/Aiken Standard, Michael Gibbons Hazardous material workers head to the scene where two Norfolk Southern freight trains collided early Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, in Grantville, spilling a hazardous chemical and sending dozens of people to a decontamination site in Aiken. More photos...
One dead, 70 treated after chemical spill that followed train crash
AMY GEIER EDGAR
Associated Press
GRANITEVILLE, S.C. - Aiken County officials have confirmed one person has died and at least 70 were injured when two trains crashed here Thursday morning and spilled a hazardous chemical.
Sheriff's Lt. Michael Frank did not give details of who was killed or how they died. He said 70 people have been treated at Aiken Regional Medical Center. All but about 20 were released; some were admitted to intensive care units, Frank said.
A Norfolk Southern freight train with two locomotives and 42 rail cars struck a locomotive with two rail cars parked at a siding at Avondale Mills, said railroad spokesman Robin Chapman.
Chapman said three cars on the moving train were carrying chlorine and there was a release of the gas. He did not know where the train was going.
Two crew members on that train were taken to a hospital after inhaling chlorine. No one was aboard the parked train, Chapman said.
One of the loose cars struck a tree, knocked it onto a car and trapped a woman inside for about two hours, Frank said. The woman was removed and taken to a hospital for treatment. Her condition was unavailable.
National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Lauren Peduzzi said the agency will investigate the accident. A team of investigators was set to leave Washington around noon.
There were at least three hazardous chemicals on the train, Berry said, but officials were most concerned about the chlorine gas, which affects respiratory and central nervous systems. It can damage the throat, nose, eyes and can cause death. Berry said the gas has a strong odor and is heavier than air so it stays close to the ground.
Frank said emergency workers had found Graniteville residents walking outdoors and warned them to stay inside. Temperatures in the area were well above average with overnight lows in the 50s and highs in the mid-70s Thursday, so residents were told to close their doors and windows and shut off air-conditioning or heating systems.
Light winds Thursday afternoon could spread the chlorine to areas beyond the crash site but also could help lessen the danger by dissipating the gas, Berry said.
The National Weather Service recommended that people within a two-mile radius of the crash site stay indoors and keep their air-ventilation systems off.
Douglas Brown, 44, lives two streets away from the railroad tracks. He said he heard a boom that shook his house and heard the sound of metal dragging about 2:30 a.m.
Brown got in his car and drove to the site of the crash. He said he saw a fog over the ground.
"You could smell it real good, it made your tongue numb, your throat get sore and your eyes get dry," Brown said.
Deputies sent him to the University of South Carolina-Aiken campus to be decontaminated. Brown said his wife and two children were at home but were not asked to leave.
Officials did not know how many people had been decontaminated at USC-Aiken and Midland Valley High School.
At the university, two tents were set up. In one tent, people exposed to the chemicals removed their clothes and were washed down. They then moved to a second tent where they were given medical attention. Some were sent to the hospital.
Whew. Police evacuated 5,400 from Graniteville before it turned dark. It was a short window.
Previously it was unsafe for them to leave their homes. THey waited until the air quality cleared somewhat and then in a rush got them out before dark when it was expected for the air quality to deteriorate again due to the heaviness of evening air.
It's not something to play with, that's for sure. And we haven't even talked about the other two chemicals involved. (Mostly because I can't remember their names and no one seems terribly concerned about them).
Sounds awful. Are you in the area?
The potassium cresylate is a degreaser. Chlorine actively combines with just about anything (hence its danger) and I think you might get phenols from the potassium cresylate if it mixes with the chlorine. But, again, phenols aren't nearly as dangerous as the chlorine gas!
Thanks, was curious.
I need to go to work now but you stay safe there Peach.
Thanks for the good thoughts, Montana. Be well.
I thought I'd find you here. Is everything alright?
Eight people dead. I did not know. Peach, are you in the evacuation area?
bttt
updated pics on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6795389/
Yikes. It looks like you can see the gas pouring out. This is extremely dangerous stuff in an enclosed place. I had no idea it could be as deadly out in the open.
I have really appreciated your input on this thread. Thank you!
I've probably missed you for the evening but yes, we're okay. We've stayed indoors and kept track of the news all day. And we won't be sleeping with the windows open tonight, that's for sure.
Take care, Bahbah.
Missed your later post. We are NOT in the evac area; it's about 5 miles from here. Could smell chlorine in the air this a.m.
People reportedly smell it on Route 20 which is 25 miles away.
Thanks. I feel reassured. I didn't realize how bad this was until I ran to the store and heard about it on the car radio. Stay safe.
I will. Thanks. We're okay.
9:00 update coming up on television now; will post updates to the thread as I hear them.
8 dead. 5 victims were in textile plants in the area, 1 victim in a home, one person sitting in a truck, and the engineer of the train.
240 people went to the hospital for various levels of treatment. HazMat teams treated them before they were admitted to the hospital.
A special unit of the Coast Guard, working with the EPA, is sending an 8 member specialist team and air monitoring team to the area.
Aiken county is still under a state of emergency.
Tonight the railroad and NTSB are at the site removing undamaged cars.
5,400 people evacuated.
The leak is still continuing but has slowed somewhat from earlier today. They think this means the tank is emptying. The clean-up will be very complex for the contractors and they don't know how much pressure is still in the tank. There are undamaged tanks that will be easy to take care of.
This is the last report for the evening. Will report more tomorrow morning as I hear news.
Recommendation for those of us outside the site area: We could have occasional waft of chlorine gas. Use judgement on ventilation. It's mild enough here we don't need a/c or heat, thankfully.
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