BRADENTON, Fla. — Seven cars of a Seminole Gulf Railway train — two of them carrying propane — derailed this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 28, near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, the Bradenton Herald reports.
One of the propane cars was among six cars that ended up on their side; the other five cars were carrying sheetrock. The other propane car derailed but remained upright. No leaks were reported, but hazardous materials crews were on the scene monitoring the accident site until the cargo of about 30,000 gallons of propane could be offloaded from the overturned car.
The derailment occurred about 11:20 a.m., WTSP-TV reports. No injuries were reported and no evacuation was required. Southern Manatee County Fire Rescue Chief Robert Bounds told the station that it could take up to three days to clear the scene.
The Seminole Gulf Railway operates more than 100 miles of track in Southwest Florida; the derailment is on its Sarasota Division, an isolated segment to the northwest of its larger Fort Myers Division. That portion of the railroad was badly damaged last September by Hurricane Ian [see “Seminole Gulf Railway faces lengthy closure …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 5, 2022].
