Associated Press Published

Train Derails in McDowell Co.; Tanker Car Lands in Creek


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Credit Glen McCoy
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Officer McCoy with Kimball Police Department say 17 cars derailed around 8:30 Friday morning.

KIMBALL, W.Va. (AP) — Hazardous material crews are cleaning up following a trail derailment.

Officials say at least 16 cars of the Norfolk Southern train derailed around 8:30 a.m. Friday in an area of McDowell County along U.S. Route 52. No evacuations were ordered and there were no injuries.

The train has five locomotives and 111 cars and is about 7,000 feet long. It was headed from Bellevue, Ohio to Linwood, N.C.

State emergency officials say booms are in place to prevent the tar leaking from a ruptured tanker car from going any farther down into Elkhorn Creek.

About 700 feet of track was damaged in the derailment and will have to be replaced. Norfolk Southern expects train traffic to reopen Saturday afternoon.