Train Derails in Shiawassee County

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: News 10


Updated: 10:54 PM Jan 6, 2011
Train Derails in Shiawassee County

A train carrying 20,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid has derailed and is leaking, causing part of Shiawassee County to be evacuated.

Read more: http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Train_Derails_in_Shiawassee_County_113049429.html

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Ok to mods, this is a very short article, so just posted ONE sentence.

For the rest of you... this is a MAJOR HAZMAT emergency. The responders will have a few issues, including a toxic cloud. Fleeing is the appropriate response. Oh and incidentally this should break into mainstream but why have news that could be a minor disaster.

[uppityperson]

1. I was near one of these once, train car exploded sending globs of acid all over

we got a couple guys in the hospital, a couple (more severely burned) ended up being taken to Big City Hosp.

Good luck to them.

By "near", it happened about 50 ft from the house I was living in in rural flatland. They evacuated us, told us "don't know what it is burning, don't think it's toxic but it might explode so you should leave for a bit." Drove upwind 4 miles to friends place to find that area was being evac'd also. Made me a bit anxious. Got home 20 hours later.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I responded to my share of this crap

I loved working the OUTER perimeter... I got to do actual hazmat primary cleanup evac twice... it is scary even when wearing all the damn and very hot equipment. Part that really is painful is that you need to decon your patients while doing patient care... in one of this...

[uppityperson]

3. When train crashed by me, they didn't know what was in it for hours

Local sheriff took the precaution of evacing people all the way around for miles. Then the railroad told them what was in the burning cars and that it was ok to pump water on it. It exploded and the railroad guys said "hmmm, it shouldn't have done that. Well, it won't do it again." To which the local responders backed wayyyyyy off, pissed since several got hurt, until proper gear could be brought in. Of course, the railroad guy was upset since the whatever was being destroyed.

Since then, I never felt comfortable stopping near the train crossing when a train went by because they ended up accordianing a long ways out.