NTSB faults train crew for 2005 crash
By:
Updated: April 17, 2007
Contributing to the severity of the accident was the puncture of a tank car during the collision, which resulted in the release of propylene, a compressed flammable gas.
Additionally, the yardmaster did not immediately provide emergency responders with a consist which would have immediately identified the contents in the tank cars, including hazardous materials.
As a result of the accident in the Union Pacific rail yard, propylene flowed into a nearby neighborhood and an unknown source ignited the gas causing a house to explode. Approximately 3,000 residents within a 1-mile radius of the punctured tank car were advised to evacuate the area.
The NTSB recommended that Union Pacific Railroad take steps to ensure field personnel understand and comply with the procedures for responding to hazardous material incidents, and recommended that Texarkana make sure that emergency responders know how to handle hazardous material incidents.
(Copyright 2006 Newsroom Solutions, LLC)
