Crews extinguish Kentucky derailment fire that prompted town to evacuate, CSX says

MOUNT VERNON, Ky. — Rail operator CSX said Thursday that a chemical fire at a Kentucky train derailment that caused evacuations on Thanksgiving has been extinguished.

A total of 16 cars derailed in Rockcastle County, a remote town with about 200 people in Rockcastle County, at around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, CSX said, with molten sulfur spilling from two of them. The derailment caused a fire that continued to burn into Thanksgiving.

Two of the 16 cars that derailed carried molten sulfur, which caught fire after the cars were breached, CSX said in a statement.

Company spokesperson Bryan Tucker said in a brief email that “the fire is completely out.” He said that authorities and CSX officials are evaluating when to encourage displaced residents to return home, and they will release more information later on Thursday.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency website, sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory problems, depending on the concentration and length of exposure. The gas is commonly produced by burning fossil fuels at power plants and other industrial processes, the EPA says.

No one was injured from the derailment, CSX added.

'It's just really scary'

The EPA and the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection were both on-site and monitoring for sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and other air emissions. They said they found “adverse readings” near the site and in Livingston following the crash, but there have been no detectable readings since early Thursday in Livingston and since early afternoon in the area immediately around the incident site.

Exposure to sulfur dioxide has an array of health impacts, including irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, as well as potential decreased fertility.

Cindy Bradley had just finished cooking for the big meal Wednesday when an official knocking loudly urged her to leave her small Kentucky home as soon as possible because a train had derailed. She ended up at Rockcastle County Middle School in Livingston — unsure what was to come next.

“It’s just really scary. We don’t know how long this is,” Bradley told WTVQ-TV on Wednesday night, surrounded by dozens of cots.

The danger from sulfur dioxide tends to be direct and quick, irritating the lungs and skin, said Neil Donahue, a chemistry professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

Kentucky governor ordered state of emergency

Workers are now cleaning up the site, the company said, and the cause of the derailment is under investigation. Air monitoring will continue until the cleanup is complete. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ordered a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon, and residents in and around Livingston, a town of 165 people, were evacuated.

"Please think about them and pray for a resolution that gets them back in their homes. Thank you to all the first responders spending this day protecting our people," the governor said in a statement Thursday.

Some people chose to stay in their homes but 112 people and 40 pets were evacuated, said Joe McCann, CSX's director of emergency management and hazardous materials. They were put up in hotels outside of Livingston. CSX said it will reimburse residents for out-of-pocket expenses and wage losses.

Contributing: The Associated Press