3,000 evacuated after train derails in USA

[John Ashworth]

3,000 evacuated after train derails near Cameron Street

Amanda McElfresh • amcelfresh@theadvertiser.com • May 18, 2008

Authorities were working to clean up a massive chemical spill beneath the Ambassador Caffery Parkway overpass on Saturday that caused the evacuation of 3,000 Lafayette residents.

Six railroad cars derailed beneath the overpass near Cameron Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

A six-mile span of Interstate 10 over Lafayette was shut down for about two hours Saturday night as authorities worked to re-rail the cars. The interstate was closed from just after 7 p.m. to around 9 p.m.

After the derailment, one car began leaking hydrochloric acid. Between 8,000 and 10,000 gallons of the chemical spilled from the car, said Joe Faust, a spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad company. The car was carrying about 12,000 gallons of the acid.

Faust said two BNSF employees were treated and released from local hospitals for minor injuries, and at least three residents were also treated and released. No major injuries were reported.

On Saturday, authorities urged residents in the evacuated area, which extended in a one-mile radius from the spill site, to be prepared to spend at least 48 hours away from their homes.

"With this type of situation, we're not going to hurry up," said Trooper David Anderson, spokesman for Louisiana State Police. "When you hurry, that's when you start to make mistakes. If it takes two days to make sure everybody's safe, that's what it takes."

Cause of accident investigated

Faust said BNSF officials and investigators were still trying to determine what caused the cars to derail. The train was traveling no more than 10 miles per hour and was on its way to Lake Charles.

After the area surrounding the spill site was evacuated and secured, officials began laying down a lime base to neutralize the acid, Faust said. Once the acid is neutralized, the company will move in heavy equipment to re-rail the cars.

"After all of that is done, we will start doing air testing, soil testing and testing any water in that area," Faust said.

How long all of that work will take remains to be seen.

"I don't want to speculate on that," Faust said.

Claims representatives from the company are in town and are preparing to speak with residents once the situation stabilizes and they are allowed to return home.

"While the investigation into the cause of this unfortunate event will be ongoing, it is BNSF's intention to deal promptly and fairly with any legitimate claims or concerns arising from the derailment or evacuation," BNSF officials said in a statement.

Evacuation order given

The evacuation was ordered as a precaution, since hydrochloric acid can cause serious respiratory problems and skin irritation. The evacuated area extended from the spill site west to Tressie Street, south to Dulles Drive, east to Cajundome Boulevard and north to Interstate 10.

Anderson urged residents to "plan for long term, hope for short term." Many were urged to go to the home of a friend or relative if possible. For those without a place to go, an American Red Cross shelter was set up at Carencro High School.

Tony Credeur, head of the Acadiana chapter of the American Red Cross, said the shelter was shut down Saturday night, but officials would be on standby Sunday to see if it would need to re-open.

Lafayette Chief of Police Jim Craft said that by late Saturday afternoon, all homes and businesses in the one-mile radius were empty, and that officers would be patroling the area to make sure it remained secure.

The shelter was set up in the boys' gym and can hold about 500 people. A nearby girls' gym can hold an additional 300 people if necessary, Boudreaux said.

Residents were allowed to bring their pets to the high school, although they were not allowed in the gym, per Red Cross policy. Officials from Lafayette Animal Control were on the scene and were available to take care of pets at the nearby pavilion, just a few feet away from the gym.

Coordinated response

To help facilitate communication, authorities set up a large command center in the parking lot of Single Source Supply on Ambassador Caffery Parkway, just north of Interstate 10.

Dozens of law enforcement officers could be seen discussing the matter throughout the day and holding briefings to receive the latest information from the accident site.

Agencies on the scene included the Lafayette Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Carencro Police Department, Scott Police Department, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, Acadian Ambulance, the American Red Cross, as well as local fire departments.

Representatives from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals were also at the scene, and a state police helicopter landed and left from the site several times throughout the day.

Several city officials also were on hand during the day to monitor the situation, including City-Parish Council Chairman Don Bertrand, Councilman Brandon Shelvin, Lafayette Consolidated Government Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley, LCG Public Works Director Jim Craft and City-Parish Attorney Pat Ottinger, among others.

Bertrand confirmed that an emergency had been declared to allow the evacuation process to proceed and to ensure that all necessary resources could be used to handle the situation.

Copyright ©2008 The Daily Advertiser