A tank car was breached in the derailment, and its contents were released and immediately ignited. No crewmembers were injured as a result of the accident, but 12 firefighters and a state emergency official collapsed during firefighting operations. Erroneous and conflicting information concerning hazardous material on the train caused confusion and resulted in misdirected emergency response efforts. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the proable cause of this accident was the failure of the engineer of train No. 120 to control the slack action of the train as it transited a change in grade. Contributing to the accident was the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad's allowing an engineer who was known to be deficient in train handling skills to operate the train. Contributing to the severity of the fire and to the ineffectiveness of the emergency response was inadequate training of railroad operating personnel and onscene railroad management.


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    Title :

    Railroad Accident Report - Derailment of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Train No. 120, at Colonial Heights, Virginia, May 31, 1982


    Publication date :

    1983


    Size :

    54 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English