6 train cars carrying ethanol derail at rail yard
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WORCESTER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Six train cars derailed Sunday in Worcester, Massachusetts, prompting a large emergency response as the tankers were carrying a highly flammable substance.
The derailment happened in a Worcester rail yard on Cambridge Street at around 12:15 p.m. Drone video from the scene showed two of the train cars had crashed into a building.
Officials said there is no threat to the neighborhood and they hope to have the trains back on the tracks sometime Monday.
Train cars crash into building
“We’ve evaluated that building and don’t see any visible structure damage,” said Worcester Assistant Fire Chief Adam Roche.
Residents who live in the area said they heard a loud noise when the derailment happened.
“It sounded like an explosion,” said Cayden Brackett, who lives nearby. “It sounded like someone threw a grenade and it just went off.”
“I was just sitting outside with my son and I heard a loud boom,” said Christopher Brackett, Cayden’s father.
Tankers carrying ethanol
No one was hurt in the derailment. The fire department confirmed the tankers were carrying ethanol, a fuel for powering vehicles, and while that’s a hazardous material, none of the train cars are leaking.
“If it were to leak, we would certainly have a fire hazard but currently that’s not the situation. The rail cars are intact,” said Roche.
Fire officials confirmed there was no threat to the neighborhood.
“I’m pretty glad because it could have caused a bunch of other things,” said Cayden Brackett. “It could have exploded.”
“You don’t see this in your lifetime,” said Christopher Brackett. “You see it in the movies, you see it on other parts of the country or other countries but never in your backyard.”
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