OAN’s Noah Herring
10:05 AM – Monday, July 17, 2023
A 40-car CSX freight train derailed in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes and businesses.
According to police, 15 cars came off the Northern Southern tracks at around 5:00 a.m. One of the cars on the train was reportedly transporting hazardous material, but there were no reports of any leaks or spills.
Hazmat crews were called in and around a dozen homes and businesses were evacuated out of precaution. The orders have since been lifted.
“At this time, there is not a concern for any environmental releases,” Ben Russell, with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said. “We are working with both the railroad and the quarry below just in the chance that something could occur during the cleanup chance. But at this point in time, everything is contained that is a hazardous material.”
Officials have stated that there are no reported injuries and no known hazards to the public.
“While preliminary reports indicate that one car transporting hazardous material was involved in the incident, there is no indication of any leaks or spills of hazardous materials and there are no injuries to the crew of the train,” CSX said in a statement to FOX Business. “The local fire department responded and declared an evacuation of just over a dozen homes out of an abundance of caution.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro took to Twitter to respond to the derailment.
“My team and I are monitoring the train derailment in Whitemarsh Twp and assisting local first responders,” the Democrat wrote. “Thank you to the residents taking precautions at the direction of local authorities. I urge you to continue following their instruction.”
According to officials, silicone pellets were leaking from cars, but did not pose any danger to the public.
CSX stated that the cause of the derailment was most likely caused by weather. The investigation is still ongoing.
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