Another report on Wednesday shows that an empty coal train making its way through a remote area of West Virginia derailed after running into a rock slide, injuring three crew members and causing a fire.
The CSX freight train confirmed an “unknown quantity of diesel fuel and oil spilled” amid the accident but maintained that none of the chemicals or materials being carried on the train were hazardous.
“We greatly appreciate the swift actions of the local first responders in Sandstone [VA] that rendered aide to our valued crew members,” CSX said in a release. “The safety of our employees and the community is our top priority as we dispatch our teams to assess the situation and develop a plan to completely restore the area.”
The West Virginia Emergency Management division confirmed that one locomotive and one fuel tank derailed into the New River, noting that the area in Sandstone where the accident happened sits inside the New River National Park and Preserve and is “somewhat remote.”
Crews begin cleanup in Sandstone, WV. (Getty Images)
“At the time of this report, no roads are closed, nor has there been an evacuation of nearby homes,” the agency said. “It is unknown when the tracks will be repaired to allow new rail traffic.”
On board were three crew members, an engineer, an engineer trainee, and a conductor. Two of three crew members were still hospitalized Thursday morning for non-life-threatening injuries, while the third was released.
On Thursday, CSX confirmed that all 22 empty cars had been removed from the area in addition to the boulders that caused the accident.
The company also said that it has “deployed additional environmental measures” to ensure no extra fuel is leaked into the area during the removal process, including tapping the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to remove any parts of the area that may have been contaminated with fuel or materials from the train.
CSX Transportation is a Florida-based railroad company that serves the Eastern U.S. and parts of Canada. It’s estimated to operate over 21,000 miles of railroad track.
