Freight train derailment in Kentucky sparks molten sulfur fire
No injuries were reported. Hazmat teams quickly extinguished the blaze and contained the sulfur spill, allowing the evacuation order for a half-mile radius to be lifted.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted on social media that the derailment occurred near the Kentucky-Tennessee border, with one railcar releasing molten sulfur into the air. He added that investigators from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration were en route to the scene.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear urged residents to follow local safety guidance. Meanwhile, the Todd County Sheriff’s Office reported that US Route 41 between Trenton and Pembroke is closed and likely to remain impassable for some time.
Officials confirmed that the derailment occurred in an unpopulated area, according to Todd County Judge Executive Todd Mansfield. Emergency Management Director Ash Groves said air sampling indicated no risk to public safety. Crews cooled the molten sulfur with water before solidifying it, and CSX—the train’s operating company—will remove the material and replace contaminated soil.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes molten sulfur as a light yellow substance with a faint sulfur odor, commonly used in the production of sulfuric acid as well as agricultural and cleaning products.
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