Freight train derailment causes massive pileup in Texas, forces evacuations

A freight train derailed in southeast Texas on Thursday morning, causing railcars to pile up on the tracks and spill over onto a nearby roadway. Five tank cars were breached and no injuries were reported, the Orange County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement.

A "petroleum product" that the agency said didn't pose a risk to the general population was leaking from four of the cars. A "corrosive product" from another car was being contained, according to the statement.

An aerial image from a drone shows train cars scattered over tracks after a derailment in Mauriceville, Texas, on October 29, 2020. Orange County Sheriff's Office

The county sheriff's office asked everyone within a mile of the derailment to evacuate, and people between a mile and a mile and a half of the wreck were asked to shelter in place.

Elementary and middle school students in Mauriceville, near the Texas-Louisiana state line, were evacuated to the local high school, the school district said in a Facebook post.

A motorist shot video of railcars piling up as they tumbled off the tracks in front of a pickup truck. The sheriff's office posted images from a drone showing the massive wreck from above.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.