Train gas leak creates alarm
Published: August 12, 2009
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Fire police closed off Route 11 Saturday morning after hydrochloric acid leaked from a train car between Kingsley and Hop Bottom. About 21 emergency units responded to the call.
About 25 families in the Kingsley area evacuated their homes Saturday as a precaution after a rail tanker car carrying hydrochloric acid was seen venting gas.
The Norfolk Southern train made a stop after a sensor went off on one of the train cars between Hop Bottom and Kingsley at about 8:50 a.m.
The crew then noticed a gas plume from a tanker car and called authorities, said Michel Spenard, spokesman for the Canadian Pacific Railway, which owns the tracks.
Harford Fire Chief Doug Phelps said the amount of escaped gas was small, but officials evacuated 25 homes and closed Route 11 as a precaution.
The evacuees were told to go to shelters that were being set up in the Hop Bottom and Nicholson Fire Halls.
As of 11 a.m., Nicholson fire chief Ted Roberts said he had seen no evacuees, but his people were prepared for them.
As a precautionary measure access roads to the scene and within a mile of Rt. 11 were also temporarily closed by either emergency responders or township road crews.
The roads were reopened and residents were given the all-clear by about noon. Canadian Pacific’s hazmat crew took over the incident at that point.
Spenard said the tank had a faulty valve, which had to be repaired.
One member of the train crew exhibited signs of exposure to the chemical and was treated by decon units at the scene but refused further treatment.
Four area decon units were on-scene to treat any persons exposed to the acid.
Montrose, Forest Lake, Harford and Clifford all had decon units present.
According to Susquehanna County Emergency Management Director Charlene Moser, the original evacuation was ordered from Oakley Crossing to Hop Bottom.
Moser said the incident was not as severe as anticipated when it was first dispatched.
Red Cross provided assistance to emergency responders.
“The services were not all utilized on scene but they were there,” said Moser. “It showed we could get the resources we need to the scene and that the county has resources available to handle an incident.”
Moser said the incident helped to identify areas where the response could be improved in the future. The county can test those improvements at the mass casualty drill scheduled for August 29 in New Milford. The drill will involve a scenario involving a natural gas tanker truck and a school bus.
Times-Shamrock Writer David Falchek also contributed to this report.
