Posted on 04/30/2014 1:18:42 PM PDT by jazusamo
Videos at source
A CSX train carrying crude oil derailed Wednesday afternoon by the James River in downtown Lynchburg, sparking a massive fire that sent a thick column of black smoke high into the sky.
Officials said 12 to 14 tanker cars were involved, but what caused the derailment is unclear. Three or four of the cars were breached, spilling oil into the river. Hazardous-materials crews are on scene.
The incident happened shortly before 2 p.m. near Ninth and Jefferson streets.
City firefighters are allowing the fire to burn out, and it has abated somewhat since the derailment.
Multiple off-duty city buses have arrived on scene to help people leave the scene. Officials are asking people to stay away from the area.
No injuries have been reported so far, but a Centra Health spokeswoman said shortly before 3 p.m. that the hospital system has staff standing by just in case.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsadvance.com ...
Sorry, Johnny Cash Wreck of Old 97 was what came to mind when I read the headline. I hope nobody was hurt.
Yes, there was the train wreck in Canada with many killed and also one in North Dakota awhile back, both carrying petroleum.
Last I saw they haven’t gotten a cause on this as yet.
I used to post a link to Willie Green’s threads before he got zotted of the Wreck of Old 97 by Boxcar Willie. :-)
So far they say no injuries on this derailment.
It is in a bad spot. I grew up near Lynchburg and know the spot well where the train derailed, if it had derailed two or three miles further south it would’ve ended up in my grandmother’s house’s front yard.
The area is an old industrial area that the city has been trying to “redevelop,” old factories and foundries and a “riverwalk” along the James. Downtown Lynchburg sits on a very steep hill on the south bank of the James and the tracks are at the bottom along the river. I expect in addition to everything else that this has dumped a lot of crude into the James River as well and that’s going to cause environmental issues all the way to Richmond and possibly beyond to the Chesapeake.
}:-)4
Thanks for relating that.
In one of the video shots from a distance it looked like there was burning crude on the river, hopefully the vast majority of it will burn.
Street View of the parking lot at the end of 9th-10th Streets by the tracks where the derailment happened. That’s all a fairly new park area, it used to be factories. If you spin the camera and look back up the hill to the big brick building that says “CRADDOCK-TERRY” down the side, that’s the shoe factory that’s been converted into apartments.
Stuff like this makes me kind of glad I’m moving in a few weeks. I live less than 100 feet from the Norfolk Southern mainline running between Charlotte and Salisbury, NC. Hundreds of placarded tank cars roll by here and right through downtown Kannapolis every day.
}:-)4
Yes and because of that one, Canada just kicked 5000 crude cars out of the country this week. Gave companies 30 days to remove to US. This is going to be a real problem. The US was going to rule on crude cars shortly. Going to make this very interesting times for these cars. And the retrofit and production of new cars to fill the need is going to cause a shortage and, of course, heavier prices for end user.
MSM Benghaziing the crude oil in the James River saying too early to know the environmental impact. BUT... BP oil was immediately bad. With the no pipelines promotion by the hut they have their narrative directive (expressed and implied) to dutifully march to.
We’re glad everyone’s ok there. We have family in the area affected, we’ve been thinking about you. Their wondering what caused it, did the flood water’s, deteriorate the land under the rail’s?
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