Failed wheel bearing caused Kentucky train derailment, CSX says

LIVINGSTON, Ky. — A defective wheel bearing on a rail car caused a derailment that led to a chemical fire and prompted evacuations of homes in a small Kentucky town, CSX said in a statement.

The accident happened just north of Livingston on Wednesday and crews were finishing restoration of the site on Sunday, the company said. All 16 rail cars were removed from the site and crews were able to remove the chemical spill and 2,500 tons of affected soil and replace them with clean material, CSX said. Crews were expected to complete track repairs and restore service to the rail line, the statement said.

The CSX train derailed near the remote town of about 200 people in Rockcastle County around 2:30 p.m. Residents were encouraged to evacuate just one day before Thanksgiving.

Two of the sixteen derailed cars were carrying molten sulfur, which caught fire after the cars breached. No other hazardous substances were released.

State officials checked the air after the derailment for traces of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, but there had been no detection of these substances at the derailment site or in the nearby city of Livingston since Thursday morning. The fire was extinguished at the site just after midday on Thursday and officials said it was safe for residents to return home.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency website, sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory problems depending on the concentration and duration of exposure.

CSX said it was grateful to Rockcastle County authorities who helped respond to the incident, and to community members and local businesses who assisted affected residents and assisted the company in serving Thanksgiving dinners to the community.

“CSX apologizes for the inconvenience this incident has caused the local community and appreciates everyone’s patience as the recovery effort continues,” the statement said.