FRANKFORT (Kentucky, US), Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 15 train cars have derailed in the southern US state of Kentucky, spilling molten sulphur, sparking a fire, and prompting authorities to encourage nearby communities to evacuate on the eve of a major national holiday.
CSX, the transport company operating the train, said two of the at least 16 cars affected were carrying molten sulphur.
Specialised equipment was being deployed to monitor the air for sulphur dioxide, a toxic gas that is released when molten sulphur burns, the company said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment.
Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency following the accident on Wednesday afternoon near the town of Livingston.
“Response efforts for the incident are ongoing, and local officials are encouraging those in the town of Livingston to evacuate,” the governor’s office said in a statement, urging local residents to stay clear of the area.
The emergency order allows the state to activate additional resources to deal with the accident.
“By issuing a state of emergency, we are ensuring that every state resource is available to help keep our families safe,” Beshear said in a statement.
The crash comes amid increased scrutiny of rail freight carriers after a train derailed in the midwestern state of Ohio earlier this spring, spilling more than one million gallons of toxic chemicals, including known carcinogen vinyl chloride, into the air, soil and waterways.
More than 2,000 people were forced from their homes in that crash. Train derailments are common in the United States, with more than 1,160 such accidents in 2022 – or an average of more than three per day – according to the Federal Railroad Administration. — NNN-AGENCIES
