Sulfur and other chemicals leaking after train derailment in Wabash County

WABASH COUNTY, Ill. (WEHT) — A train derailment has been reported in Wabash County.

Officials with the Browns Fire Department say the train derailed around 6 pm near Route 15 east of Browns, near Bellmont. Mount Carmel Mayor and Communications with Incident Command, Joe Judge, says 12 cars went off the tracks.

Hazmat is on the scene of the derailment. Officials with the fire department say sulfur and other chemicals are leaking. People living in the immediate area were asked to evacuate as a precaution.

Our crew on scene saw white smoke coming form the train, which officials say was made of hazardous materials.

“The teams have not made it out to the area yet, as they are waiting for some of the smoke to dissipate, so they can be out there safely,” Judge says.

Judge says two people were injured, and believes they are train employees. He says they were both transported to Wabash General Hospital in Mount Carmel. He believes one was transferred to a burn unit for burns to the face and shoulders.

Judge says a command post is set up at the Bellmont Mont Fire Department. He says several agencies are on scene, including Norfolk Southern, Illinois State Police, and the Department of Homeland Security.

“This is something that you train for but never actually want to deal with … the guys are very well equipped with everything they need,” Judge says.

As of right now, Judge says there is no threat to the public. No mandatory evacuation order has been issued. Judge also says officials have made calls to the American Red Cross in Evansville to ask if they can assist people if they want to leave Bellmont.

“At this point, Norfolk Southern is not telling us that we need to evacuate a certain area. We have been in talks with the cleaning crew that was dispatched to the area and alerted them to other environmental things like tributaries and water wells from the neighboring communities. Once their full crews get in, then the decision will be by Norfolk and their contractors on how clean up the area and get it back to where before,” Judge says.

Judge says crews will be on site throughout the night assisting Norfolk Southern. Anyone who wants to help first responders can bring items to the Bellmont Firehouse.

Judge says the last major train derailment was in the in the early 1900s, when the train tracks were on the other side of Route 15. Judge says there was also a small derailment in Mt. Carmel about 2 years ago. He says two cargo containers derailed.