Crews burning off remaining chemicals |
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Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:24
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BROOKS, Ky. (AFX) - Officials conducting a controlled burn of thousands of gallons of a flammable liquid left over after a derailment this week expect the blaze to burn itself out later Thursday.A dozen tanker cars derailed Tuesday morning and spilled various chemicals that caught fire, pouring out flames and huge clouds of smoke.No serious injuries were reported but about two dozen people near the crash site south of Louisville checked themselves into a hospital and were released after checkups, authorities said. An 18-mile stretch of nearby Interstate 65 was closed for about 11 hours.The chemicals that spilled when the cars derailed were cyclohexane, methyl ethyl ketone, butadiene and alcohol, according to CSX Corp. Officials said they considered the substances toxic but said they break down when burned.Three cars filled with 90,000 gallons of butadiene, a chemical used to make synthetic rubber, were left intact after the crash but officials decided to drain and burn the chemical rather than move the rail cars. Beginning Wednesday, the chemical was channeled into a freshly dug pit and burned.Two of the three cars were empty by Thursday morning, said Rob Orkies, fire chief for the Zoneton community.'We are thinking mid-afternoon this third tank will be in a condition where most of it is going to be burned out,' Orkies said.Officials with CSX, which operates the line where the derailment occurred, are conducting the controlled burn.The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating the crash.Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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