Freight Trains Collide in South Carolina

[Tab]

GRANITEVILLE, S.C. - A freight train struck another train early Thursday, spilling a hazardous chemical. At least one person, a motorist in a nearby car, was injured, and decontamination sites were set up to treat people exposed to hazardous fumes, authorities said.



Sheriff's Lt. Michael Frank said officials had not been able to confirm any deaths or the number of injuries. A spokeswoman at Aiken Regional Medical Center would not release information on the number of people treated.

The two Norfolk Southern freight trains collided about 2:30 a.m. EST, Frank said. One of the train cars struck a tree, knocked it onto a car and trapped a woman inside for about two hours, Frank said. She was removed and taken to a hospital. The condition of the crew members of the two trains was unknown early Thursday, said Thom Berry, spokesman for the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Only first responders were in the immediate area and conditions at the derailment site were unclear, Frank said.

There were at least three hazardous chemicals on the train, including chlorine gas, Berry said.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050106/ap_on_re_us/train_wreck

[Ian David]

1. Bush let us keep Department of Health and Environmental Control?

I thought he disbanded that, claiming it was part of some liberal anti-business plot.

[htuttle]

2. How the hell can this happen nowdays?

There are a multitude of systems designed to prevent this situation from ever being possible. Don't they use them in South Carolina?

:wtf:

[DS1]

4. Probably running M$ Windows

;-)

[donsu]

3. whyever wouldn't the Medical Center tell how many treated?

why should that be a secret?