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Mass evacuation in Tennessee after train with toxic substance derails | Mass evacuation in Tennessee after train with toxic substance derails |
(about 3 hours later) | |
More than 5,000 residents of the US state of Tennessee have been evacuated after a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed and caught fire. | More than 5,000 residents of the US state of Tennessee have been evacuated after a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed and caught fire. |
The train was carrying a flammable, toxic substance called acrylonitrile when it came off the rails near Maryville, just outside Knoxville. | The train was carrying a flammable, toxic substance called acrylonitrile when it came off the rails near Maryville, just outside Knoxville. |
Firefighters evacuated people within a two-mile radius of the fire to prevent them breathing in the poisonous fumes. | Firefighters evacuated people within a two-mile radius of the fire to prevent them breathing in the poisonous fumes. |
Local police said seven officers were hospitalised because of the fumes. | Local police said seven officers were hospitalised because of the fumes. |
The train was pulling 57 carriages of mixed freight from Ohio to Georgia when it derailed just before midnight on Wednesday, the train's operators CSX said in a statement. | |
One of the carriages transporting acrylonitrile burst into flames. | |
Acrylonitrile is a chemical compound used to manufacture plastics. Officials say it is "highly flammable and toxic" and can cause headaches, nausea and kidney irritation if inhaled. | Acrylonitrile is a chemical compound used to manufacture plastics. Officials say it is "highly flammable and toxic" and can cause headaches, nausea and kidney irritation if inhaled. |
Firefighters wearing breathing equipment went door-to-door telling Maryville residents to move to temporary shelters, one of which has been set up in a high school out of the at-risk area. | Firefighters wearing breathing equipment went door-to-door telling Maryville residents to move to temporary shelters, one of which has been set up in a high school out of the at-risk area. |
Locals have been told the evacuation could last up to 48 hours. | Locals have been told the evacuation could last up to 48 hours. |
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