According to railroad operator CSX, an empty coal train crashed and derailed due to a rockslide on tracks in West Virginia on Wednesday morning. The ensuing wreckage and fire left three crew members injured.
The coal train derailed in Summers County near the New River. A total of four locomotives and 22 empty cars derailed as a result of the rockslide. The three workers on board found themselves caught on the front locomotive, which caught fire. Luckily, the crew members are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Another locomotive from the train slipped partially into the waterway, causing an unknown amount of diesel fuel and oil spillage into the water. Environmental teams came to the scene to aid in cleanup efforts.
Multiple West Virginia state agencies are involved in the response effort, and officials have notified public water systems downstream for possible health concerns. CSX stressed that the train did not carry any hazardous materials at the time of its derailment, and the public need not worry about longterm side effects.
This is a developing story…
