PORT ALLEN, La. — No chemicals were released after about 25 tank cars carrying liquid petroleum gas and butadiene derailed Wednesday morning, WAFB-TV reports.
The Union Pacific derailment, on a spur serving a plant for industrial gases firm Air Liquide America, led to a response by the Louisiana State Police hazardous materials unit, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge Police Department. Monitoring by the Department of Environment detected no spills.
Butadiene, a gas with a gasoline-like odor, is used in the production of synthetic rubber, plastics, and fuel. It is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a carcinogen.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
More likely they were empty or nearly empty if they streamlined. Full, they would have weighed upwards of 286,000 lbs and cars that heavy almost never streamline derail.
Kinda’ looks like they string lined…