South Carolina Ping
Residents still urged to stay indoors with ventillation off. Thankfully it's mild here.
FBI has been called in, although that may be standard operating procedure.
The University is being used as a staging area to decontaminate people before they are admitted to the hospital. The scenes look like something from when we had our anthrax attacks.
The three local channels have been pre-empted since 4:00 a.m.
All chemicals are 'hazardous' to the crAP. These three are CRESOL, Sodium Hydroxide and Chlorine gas.
'Member, ya' kain't spiel krap widoubt AP
btt
It is these days.
Apparently a switch that should have been closed, allowing the train moving down the single track to pass the other train sitting in the siding, was left open, thus directing the moving train into the occupied siding and hitting the sitting train. The question is why was this switch open. From what I've just read, this happened on a rail line that doesn't have signals. Instead they are given verbal permission by a dispatcher to write down authority to occupy pieces of track, which they then repeat to the dispatcher to confirm accuracy. Part of this system confers responsibility for switch position. The system works fine as long as everybody follows the rules, pays attention, and doesn't make a mistake.
Unfortunately, without signals(which show track occupancy) and other sensors that show switch position and allow the dispatcher to control the switch, there aren't backup safeguards if someone does make a mistake. Now add in the factor that the railroads are allowed to work many of their employees on a system that doesn't allow for a regular sleep cycle. You can be called to work at 3am, work until 2pm, called back at 8pm to report at 10pm, work until 9:59am, called again at 4pm to report at 6pm, work until 5:30am, called again at 11:30 for 1:30pm, off early at 5pm (but you can't fall asleep), called at 11pm for 1am, work until 1pm, on and on and on. Many of these guys are walking zombies, and crew fatigue is one of the most prevalent factors in railroad accidents. Huge issues that has been allowed to go unrepaired. So the most likely cause is simply crew error, someone reported in the clear in the siding without closing the switch (though not necessarily the crews in the wreck, could have been a prior crew.)
But there have also been cases of tampering with switches by kids or vandals, and it is even possible that it was an act of terrorism, but the latter is very, very, very unlikely given the remote location and relatively sparse population. There are safeguards to prevent unauthorized movements of switches by persons other than railroad workers.
These types of wrecks have happened before, ever since railroads were invented.
And those in the know, know to keep their mouths shut.
It is said around here that if there is an accident in this area, 9 out of 10 times it is CSX. I guess this is one of those 1 in 10 times.
Over 90 gallons of chlorine are leaking from the train. The entire county of Aiken is under a state of emergency. This is the largest county in South Carolina.
The Governor will be visiting the area some time today.
Chlorine turns to gas when it gets into the open air.
90 tons of chlorine are leaking right now.
Responders going door to door in Graniteville looking for victims.
Air quality tests being done in county.
5,400 hundred residents are being either evacuated in Graniteville or well being checks.
Dixie - I know you are no longer in the area but have a friend here.
This is the thread for updates on the chemical spill in Aiken that has put Aiken County under a state of emergency.
I have posted a sperate thread asking for prayers for Graniteville.
Two more bodies have been discovered.
Several vehicles just pulled into the hospital filled with people, some of them in very bad shape.
Chlorine can be really deadly. I remember when a truck carrying chlorine tipped off the spaghetti turns on the freeway near the Galleria in Houston back in the 1970s. There were quite a few deaths along the highway besides the truck driver.
There was a mother in my sons' school who was blinded and her hair turned snow white from the accident, even though she didn't die. People got out of their cars to flee from the accident and were overcome by the fumes and dies right on the freeway.
It was a real tragedy, but it was just one truck. I can't image the havoc that would be caused by a whole train derailment.
Well I'm awful late to this thread lol
Years ago when I lived up in Syracuse, NY, I lived across the street from a plant that handled chlorine. They had a warning alarm when there was a leak, of which there were two while I lived there. You could smell it and feel it before the alarm ever went off. Everybody knew to go inside and shut the windows. It was harsh on the nose/throat/eyes, but everyone was so used to the chemical plants around there I don't think anybody had any fear of injury.
Bush's fault. He hates the environment and wants to kill children. Must be him.
He caused the recent tsunami and earthquake with global warming - Howard Dean said so, so it must be true.
NTSB Press Conference Update:
The NTSB and FBI were able to approach the crash site this afternoon. They could not get very close and had to wear Haz Mat gear because the crash site is still deemed a Hot Zone.
An announcement will be made in an hour; the press thinks the evacuation radius will expand.