The scene at Dupo on Tuesday afternoon after crews knocked down the flames.
Steve Smedley
DUPO, Ill. – A Union Pacific freight train has derailed in Dupo on Tuesday, resulting in a fire. The incident happened in the southeast suburb of St. Louis, Mo., south of East St. Louis.
According to the railroad, around 12:45 p.m., a derailment occurred in UP’s Dupo Yard near Carondelet Avenue between Main and Adams Road. Both crossings are closed. The train was being built for departure at the time of the derailment, which caused a tank car to catch fire. Initial information from the scene indicates that the tank car contains a flammable liquid called methyl isobutyl ketone, which is typically used as a solvent.
Burning runoff from the tank car caused a second fire near Vertex Chemical Co. that was quickly extinguished.
Firefighters have to use portable water tanks and water tenders to shuttle water to the scene as no hydrants are in the area of the derailment.
“Union Pacific is working with area first responders to put out the fire. Our yard and nearby intermodal ramp were safely evacuated,” spokeswoman Kristen South tells Trains News Wire. “At this time, no injuries have been reported.”
The former Missouri Pacific line links St. Louis with Thebes where it crosses the Mississippi River. BNSF Railway has trackage rights.
Trains News Wire will have additional information as it is available.
That one poor fireman ar the road needs more water presure. Stream only reaching about halfway to fire. Also, whats with the fire in the ditch,?. Flamable runoff from derailment?
This yard is in Illinois, not Missouri. It is at the northern terminus of the Chester Sub, and follows the river through southern Illinois, crossing the bridge at Thebes, into Missouri. It does not go through Poplar Bluff. That is a different route that runs entirely through Missouri, and never gets near the Dupo yard.
Can we have just one derailment not involving a graffiti covered car?!
Mr Rice, would you be kind enough to tell us exactly how PSR and building a train in a yard are related?
Is the media just more vigilant in reporting, or are we really seeing more derail events since PSR started?