LIVINGSTON, Ky. — Residents evacuated after a Wednesday derailment of a CSX Transportation freight train are being allowed to return home after a sulphur fire was extinguished this afternoon.
CSX said in an update at 4 p.m. EST today (Nov. 23) that the railroad and local emergency responders had extinguished the fire, and air monitoring equipment had determined it was safe for residents of Livingston, about 60 miles south of Louisville, Ky., to return home. Two cars of molten sulphur were breached in the 16-car derailment about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and caught fire; the evacuation followed because of health risks from sulphur dioxide [see “Evacuation continues as sulphur burns …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 23, 2023].
The railroad said it will now focus on recovering the material on the ground and removing the derailed cars, and that the cause of the incident is under investigation.
CSX is also continuing to provide food, lodging and other supplies to affected community members.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had declared a state of emergency on Wednesday for Rockcastle County, site of the accident, to assure crews and those affected received all available help from the state.
But it will be interesting to watch how the other Class 1’s handle these types of events. NS set a new standard in post disaster response, can (will) the others match?
Here is a question awaiting an answer.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
The Trains newswriter made the same error as in the earlier story on this derailment. Livingston is 60 miles south of Lexington, not Louisville.