About 9:04 a.m. central standard time on February 9, 2003, northbound Canadian National freight train M33371 derailed 22 of its 108 cars in Tamaroa, Illinois. Four of the derailed cars released methanol, and the methanol from two of these four cars fueled a fire. Other derailed cars contained phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde, and vinyl chloride. Two cars containing hydrochloric acid, one car containing formaldehyde, and one car containing vinyl chloride released product but were not involved in the fire. About 850 residents were evacuated from the area within a 3-mile radius of the derailment, which included the entire village of Tamaroa. No one was injured during the derailment, although one contract employee was injured during cleanup activities. Damages to track, signals, and equipment, and clearing costs associated with the accident totaled about $1.9 million.
National Transportation Safety Board Railroad Accident Report: Derailment of Canadian National Railway Freight Train M33371 and Subsequent Release of Hazardous Materials Near Tamaroa, Illinois, on February 9, 2003
2005
44 pages
Report
No indication
English
Transportation Safety , Railroad Transportation , Railroad accidents , Accident investigation , Derailment , Hazardous materials , Accident causes , Roadbeds , Injuries , Cleaning , Railroad tracks , Fires , Regulations , Recommendations , Methanol , Damage , Evacuation , Transportation of hazardous materials , Formaldehyde , Maintenance , Canadian National Freight Train M33371 , Tamaroa(Illinois)