Train derailment, fire prompts evacuation in U.S.

The Tennessee train derailment is not the first incident like this to happen in the last five months. The train was carrying Acrylonitrile, which is a flammable and poisonous liquid.

Mitchell asked residents near the derailment site not to drink well water for now.

About 5,000 people have been evacuated from a mile-and-a-half radius of the site.

“The substance is flammable and presents an inhalation risk”, Seay said in a release.

Firefighters hosed down neighboring train cars in an attempt to cool them off. Crews attempted to move them away from the flames.

A damaged rail bed is seen near a CSX train following the…

McClain advised evacuees to make plans to be away from home at least for Thursday night.

Emergency personnel stand by as evacuees gather at the Foothills…

Authorities were examining the black box from the CSX Corp train that derailed with one tank vehicle bursting into flames at midnight Wednesday in Blount County, near Maryville, Tennessee.

About 5,000 people in the area were being evacuated, along with several businesses.

Maryville officials recommended as a precaution that some residents refrain from drinking well water until groundwater contamination could be ruled out, according to a city government Facebook post. More details were expected at a news conference at noon Friday.

“Food is always a big need at our shelter, we’ve given them everything we could”, she said.

The auto was carrying acrylonitrile, a hazardous material used in a variety of industrial processes, said Seay, and additional cars containing hazardous, industrial materials are in close proximity to the flaming freight container. The substance is flammable and is risky if inhaled, CSX said. The EPA says some effects of breathing acrylonitrile include headaches, dizziness, irritability and rapid heartbeat.

Ten law enforcement officers were taken to the hospital because they breathed in fumes from the burning acrylonitrile, Blount County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Marian O’Briant said early Thursday.

“This morning we called them about 6:30 this morning and we offered them anything we could do”, said Kylee Davis, director of daily operations for the nonprofit.

Nine people were admitted to Blount Memorial Hospital with respiratory issues, while another 21 were held for observation in the emergency room, hospital spokesman Josh West said.

“It is safe to go home”, McClain said.

The Red Cross is setting up a shelter at Heritage High School in Maryville for those who do not have a place to stay while the evacuations are in effect.

Officials were also concerned that the fumes contained cyanide, a byproduct of burning acrylonitrile, which has been leaking from the train auto. Smoke rises into sky Thursday, July 2, 2015, from train derailment in Maryville, Tenn.