Western Railroad Discussion > Derail San Antonio Area

Any news on the derailment south and west of San Antonio

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA062804train.2a6c593a6.html Registration might be required to view....seems to work with all other Belo Corp media sites (dallasnews.com and others).


NEW: Train derails, releases toxic fumes
Web Posted: 06/28/2004 11:03 AM CDT

KENS 5 Eyewitness News

Two trains collided and derailed this morning in Southwest Bexar County, causing a chlorine leak that has sent more than a dozen people to the hospital, according to San Antonio Fire Department officials.

San Antonio Fire Chief Randy Jenkins said that a Union Pacific train and Burlington Northern train collided around 5:30 a.m.

A tanker on the Union Pacific train was punctured during the wreck and released the chlorine fumes, according to a Union Pacific spokesperson.

About 15 people were sent to Wilford Hall Medical Center with respiratory problems and burning eyes after they were affected or overcome by the fumes.

According to the Associated Press, one conductor was killed in the derailment and one conductor is reported missing.

The train derailed around Southwest Loop 1604 and Nelson Road, near the town of Macdona. A total of 23 cars from the two trains derailed, according to fire officials.

Union Pacific spokesperson John Bromley said that both trains were traveling toward each other on a single-lane track. The Burlington Northern train began to pull off into a sidetrack area so the Union Pacific train could pass. The Burlington Northern train did not fully make it to the sidetrack area and was struck by the Union Pacific train.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said a cloud of fumes surrounded the area and the smell of fumes could be detected several miles away at Sea World.

“You could see a huge cloud of fog moving toward the house,” Ralph Velazquez, a resident on Nelson Road, said. “You couldn’t breathe. You absolutely couldn’t breathe.”

Velazquez said he notified neighbors, then gathered his family and was heading toward the hospital.

A deputy and train engineer who were among the people transported to the hospital have now been released.

Authorities are investigating whether a body near the scene of the wreck was the result of the derailment.

Some of the roads near the scene, including a stretch of Loop 1604, have been closed while crews clean the scene.

The Emergency Operations Center has said the chlorine leak has dissipated, but has advised residents to stay indoors and not to use air conditioners or heating systems that may draw any remaining fumes into the house.

It is now reported that three crewmen died with 17 injuries.

Image from the SA Express news website.

Also news from the Dallas Morning news website:

Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO – Two freight trains collided Monday morning, killing an engineer, sending clouds of chlorine gas and ammonium nitrate into the sky and shutting down several city blocks.

Bexar County Sheriff's Department Deputy Chief Ray Trevino confirmed the death but said the number of injuries was still unclear. According to news reports, about 15 people were taken to Wilford Hall Medical Center at nearby Lackland Air Force Base for treatment.

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train was pulling onto a siding when it was struck by a Union Pacific freight train about 5 a.m., said Joe Faust, a spokesman for Fort Worth-based Burlington. He said he had no details on how many cars derailed and whose train was the source of the chemical leaks. Trevino said the leaking cars appeared to be Union Pacific's.

Among the injured was a Bexar County sheriff's deputy who was treated and released after driving through the chlorine cloud, Trevino said.

Heavily traveled Loop 410 and Pearsall Road were closed near the wreck site, but no evacuations were ordered.

---

what the Dallas Morning News says:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/062804dntextrainderail.817f4.html

Derailments / collisions are never pretty... my thoughts are with the crew members living and deceased, and the injured parties and others involved.

(more reason to say...) Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry

The collision happened at a siding called MacDona, about 14 miles west of East Yard, on the former SP line from Santone to Del Rio.

The railroad is single track CTC at this location.

A westbound BNSF train was heading into the siding when it was stuck by a UP train operating eastward on the main track.

UPDATE - Three dead in Texas train derailment, gas leak

Monday June 28, 4:51 pm ET

By Jim Forsyth

(Adds new death total, changes type of gas involved)

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 28 (Reuters) - At least three people were killed when a Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE:UNP - News) freight train hauling chlorine gas and anhydrous ammonia struck another train and derailed in a rural area on Monday, spreading a hazardous gas cloud.

Two people were found dead in a vehicle near the site of the derailment, San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Randy Jenkins said. The cause of death was not immediately known, but Jenkins said the deaths were related to the derailment.

Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley said one body was found in the wreckage of the train. Emergency officials said it was the train's missing engineer. The crash occurred in a rural section about 15 miles southwest of San Antonio's downtown.

At least 20 people were hospitalized for exposure to the gas but none were seriously injured, Jenkins said.

"The tanker split open and put out a chlorine cloud," Jenkins said. "People have been complaining of respiratory distress."

The other train is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (NYSE:BNI - News)

Six of the people treated for exposure work at San Antonio's Sea World, located 10 miles (16 km) away from the crash. The gas release caused traffic snarls across the city as it spread.

"The air smells very strongly of chlorine. When you go outside, it burns your eyes, your throat, your lungs," said Marie Mooso, who lives about 5 miles (8 km) away.

Chlorine is commonly used in hundreds of household and industrial applications, from swimming pools to water treatment plants. But the gas is potentially lethal and was used in World War I chemical weapons.

Officials originally identified the second chemical as ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer that is highly explosive.

They later said it was anhydrous ammonia, an agricultural fertilizer also used to manufacture the illegal drug methamphetamine.

www.woai.com

Three Dead after Train Collision and Gas Leak

At least three people are dead and dozens injured after two freight trains collided in Southwest Bexar County Monday morning.
It happened near Nelson road just off of Loop 1604. One of the trains is a Burlington Northern train and the other a Union Pacific Train. One car containing chlorine gas ruptured. Hazmat crews are on the scene.

Emergency crews say three people who are dead lived in the area of the leak. One is an elderly man who was found in one house. The two others are elderly sisters who were in another house. Firefighters are not saying what could be their causes of death.

The area around the derailment is closed off to traffic.

Residents that have not evacuated, Randy Jenkins of the San Antonio Fire Department is recommending they stay in their homes and turn off all ventilations like central air and heat.

If residents need to evacuate their animals, they may take them to the Animal Defense League headquarters located at 11300 Nacogdoches.

Listen to News Radio 1200 WOAI or tune into News 4 WOAI Today for the latest details.
* * *
Gas From Wreck Sickens People at Sea World

Six employees at Sea World were taken to the hospital Monday morning complaining of headaches, dizziness and nausea, after a toxic gas cloud from a deadly train derailment drifted near the park.

Sea World delayed opening for an hour and a half, and many park-goers were turned away.

About a mile of cars lined the street leading to Sea World. Since they had nothing to do but wait, many found something to keep themselves entertained.

"We're playing around with video cameras, playing solitaire, and on the phone," visitor Kirt Hirsh said.

As soon as the gates opened, an hour and a half late, the cars, filled with hundreds of families, piled in.

The six employees who were sickened by the gas are expected to be fine.

Ok the reply right above mine says the 3 dead were elderly, so does that mean the crew all survived?

:
Officials originally identified the second chemical as ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer that is highly explosive.

They later said it was anhydrous ammonia, an agricultural fertilizer also used to manufacture the illegal drug methamphetamine.

Honestly, what do methamphetamines have to do with this news article? Is the press insinuating that Union Pacific is trafficking in drugs, or has a drug problem?

WOAI says the coroner hes not determined the cause of death of the two women who lived near the collision site. To date, if I read it right, only fatality is young UP engineer. Bexar County authorities urging residents in the area to close their houses and turn off their ACs. In South Texas that might be worse than chlorine fumes.

************************************************************
NTSB ADVISORY
************************************************************

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

June 28, 2004

************************************************************

NTSB LAUNCHING TEAM TO INVESTIGATE FREIGHT TRAIN COLLISION
NEAR SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

************************************************************
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman, Ellen
Engleman Conners, announced that the Safety Board will
launch a team to investigate a rail collision that occurred
around 5:15 CDT this morning. The collision, involving a
Union Pacific (UP) freight train and a Burlington Northern
Santa Fe (BNSF) freight train, occurred about 14 miles west of San
Antonio, Texas.

Jim Remines, Investigator-In-Charge, will lead the
nine-member team, which will include experts in the areas of
railroad operations, track, survival factors, mechanical
factors, human performance, signals, and hazardous
materials.

The team is expected to arrive at the accident site
later today. Updated information on the progress of the
investigation will be released periodically.

reeb88 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quote:Officials originally identified the second
> chemical as ammonium nitrate, a commonly used
> fertilizer that is highly explosive.
>
> They later said it was anhydrous ammonia, an
> agricultural fertilizer also used to manufacture
> the illegal drug methamphetamine.
>
> Honestly, what do methamphetamines have to do with
> this news article? Is the press insinuating that
> Union Pacific is trafficking in drugs, or has a
> drug problem?


I thought the same thing when I read that. Why didn't they mention that ammonium nitrate was used in the Oklahoma City bombings? Was the ammonia on its way to Wise County, Texas, Meth lab HQ of the world?

How about the possibility of Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacking the train and running it into the BNSF train? Hmmm. Amazed THAT wasn't mentioned as a possibilty.

But while we're mentioning terrorism: can you imagine what, say a tankcar of anhydrous ammonia opened up near, say, a sports venue like the Mariners' stadium in the middle of a game could do?

Even Michael Moore couldn't imagine a scenario like that!

friscojoe Wrote:

> I thought the same thing when I read that. Why
> didn't they mention that ammonium nitrate was used
> in the Oklahoma City bombings?

> But while we're mentioning terrorism: can you
> imagine what, say a tankcar of anhydrous ammonia



Actually, as I watched the stories on the net yesterday, they called that stuff both ammonium nitrate *and* anhydrous ammonia at different times. I guess that means the reporter doesn't know what the stuff is, but certainly after Oklahoma City, ammonium nitrate is a familiar name. It would be easy to picture a reporter being told it was anhydrous ammonia, getting back to the desk, not being sure they remembered that chemical name right when it came time to write the story and typing what was familiar.

BobE

friscojoe Wrote:
> Amazed THAT wasn't mentioned as a
> possibilty.
>
> But while we're mentioning terrorism: can you
> imagine what, say a tankcar of anhydrous ammonia
> opened up near, say, a sports venue like the
> Mariners' stadium in the middle of a game could
> do?

One mark of Terrorism, it has to be seen as Terrorism, not simply just another train wreck.

> friscojoe Wrote:
>
> > I thought the same thing when I read that.
> Why
> > didn't they mention that ammonium nitrate was
> used
> > in the Oklahoma City bombings?
>
> > But while we're mentioning terrorism: can
> you
> > imagine what, say a tankcar of anhydrous
> ammonia

That is what happened on the CPR (Soo Line) at Minot, ND about three years ago, only it was
several Anhydrous Ammonia cars derailing and spliting open. It killed one civilian and injured many more. It also cause a large evacuation.

It absolutely amazes me that RR management can't find systems to avoid these kinds of accidents.

I'm sure there are fail-safe systems available that will force a train to stop if there is a risk of collision.

I'm sure that a system like air traffic controllers could monitor track systems and communicate with trains by radio.

There is no reason that crew members and trackside communities should face these risks.

wlj619 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It absolutely amazes me that RR management can't
> find systems to avoid these kinds of accidents.
>
> I'm sure there are fail-safe systems available
> that will force a train to stop if there is a risk
> of collision.

They are around to be had, but the ivory tower beancounters know the the cost benefit isn't there. They figure it is cheaper to pick up the pieces every now and then and pay off the lawsuits than spend the $5billion needed nationwide to implement PTS. Sadly, they are right. Tell it to all the new RR widows every year tho.

> There is no reason that crew members and trackside
> communities should face these risks.

Agreed, but until these sorts of accidents - now folks it ain't hard to figure it HAD to be a work/rest issue at 5am - management will apply band-aids such as sending a "how-to-get-your-rest video" out and unions demand pay remain the same for working less but with more predictable hours. Neither side will budge.

How many more must die?