Train Derailment in Texas Spill Chemicals, Causes Force Evacuation

A train in Texas was derailed on Thursday morning, spilled chemical, and had to have forced evacuation.

A 25-car Kansas City Southern train derailed and spilled chemicals in Mauriceville at around 7:30 AM, as per the Orange County Sheriff's Office. The derailed train knocked out power in the surrounding area and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate.

According to Fox News, ten of the cars are empty, but four tankers leaked a petroleum product. However, the sheriff's office noted that it was not a threat to the public. Meanwhile, another tanker was spilled a "corrosive product" that officials are working to contain.

Despite the incident, there were no reported injuries. The sheriff shared aerial photos of the derailment showing a mangled pileup of train cars. Some of the train cars were torn apart, while others flipped upside-down.

A video recorded by local Morgan LeBlan captured the derailment as it happened. It shows clouds of smoke and damaged cars. The rest of the train continues to slide forward, which adds to the chaos.

  Entergy, the utility company, said it was working with local officials to restore power. But the debris hampers efforts to get crews safely to the scene. It also sent dust into the air as the train cars slid onto the road in front of her. "We're working with local officials to restore power where it is safe to do so," tweeted Entergy.

On the other hand, Kansas City Southern worked with the local and state agencies for the cleanup, the sheriff explained. The emergency responders monitored the air contaminants and aiding local officials, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said.

In a Facebook post, the Office of Emergency Management said, "Five confirmed tank cars were breached, four were leaking a petroleum product that did not represent a risk to the general population and the fifth involves a corrosive product that is being contained."

USA Today reported that the Orange County Sheriff's Office posted photos to Facebook showing the cars piled up on the railroad. As of Thursday evening, photos have been shared more than 3,000 times.

A one-mile "exclusion zone," which initially impacted 600 residents, was set up while cleaning and containment were underway. The zone included only about 25 to 30 homes by Thursday evening, Orange County Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin told USA TODAY.

Total cleanup will take about 48 to 72 hours, he said. A middle school and an elementary school in the area will be closed Friday due to cleanup efforts.

Business and residents need to evacuate

Due to the chemicals spilled, authorities forced businesses and residents to evacuate within a one-mile radius from the scene. The forced evacuation includes elementary and middle school,

according to a 12News report.

Officials were working to find out what chemicals are involved in the spill, the local news reported. Along with approximately 2,200 Entergy customers in Orange County, Texas, LeBlanc lost power because of the derailment.

Jimmy Lane Mooney, Orange County Sheriff, said nothing was leaking from the railcars. However, some gasoline and diesel had spilled from the engine, as per KFDM.

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