Road closures: Highway 111 at the intersections of avenues 69 and 70 For about seven miles south of State Route 195
ICP: 68th ave X Grant street
Resources: 35 Firefighters,16 Engines, 1 Truck, 1 Helicopter, 2 Water tenders, 1 Breathing supp, 1 Hazmat
Incident Number: CARRU-20477
UPDATE 3/4/2008 0900 HOURS: It has been confirmed that none of the tank cars were on fire. The Incident Command Post is located at 68th Avenue X Grant Street. CAL FIRE/Riverside County PIO's are at scene: Captain Julie Hutchinson (951) 377-8380 and Captain Fernando Herrera (760) 250-9881. Union Pacific Railroad Director of Media Information James Barnes (402)616-1311. Precautionary evacuation orders are still in effect.
News update: 2
MECCA, Calif. (KSBY) - Homes have been evacuated for one mile around a Riverside County train derailment that is spewing toxic gas.
No injuries are reported.
Some 60 residents of Mecca remain unable to return to 40 homes, which were evacuated when part of a Union Pacific train went off the tracks shortly before 9 p.m.
The 65-car train was heading from West Colton to El Centro when 29 cars went off the track.
Six cars remain upright and 23 are in a pile.
Initial reports said two tanker cars caught fire but Union Pacific says only some wooden rail ties burned and the flames were put out. One car did leak phosphoric acid and another may have leaked hydrochloric acid.
About 2,000 feet of track has been damaged and 25 trains delayed. Some are being rerouted along a route through Salt Lake City, Utah.
The accident site is next to Highway 111, which has been shut down for a seven-mile stretch south of State Road 195.
News update: 1Emergency crews are evacuating residents from a neighborhood where 12 rail cars — including three tankers — jumped the track near the Salton Sea last night.
The train derailed in the area of Grant Street and Hammond Road in Flowing Wells about 9 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the tankers contained or if they leaked, but the Riverside County Hazardous Materials Team responded to the scene.
The train was pulling about 55 cars and at least two of them caught fire.
Traffic has been blocked off on Highway 111 at the intersections of avenues 69 and 70.
No injuries were reported, according to Cal Fire.
HazMat Experts and Firefighters petition Dow Chemical and Union Pacific for safe rail tank cars transporting gas chlorine. Secondary containment is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. See--PETITION C KIT for First Responders Comments.
ReplyDeleteHazMat Experts and Firefighters petition Dow Chemical and Union Pacific for safe rail tank cars transporting gas chlorine. Secondary containment is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. See--PETITION C KIT for First Responders Comments.
ReplyDelete