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Three railroad cars that caught fire had stopped burning as of late Saturday afternoon.
Numerous BNSF rail cars derailed in Sugar Creek near the BP refinery located near the Missouri River around 1:45 a.m. Saturday.
The derailment started a fire on one of the cars, causing it to explode. Thick black smoke and intense flames billowed out, fueled by what the car was hauling: toluene, a chemical used in paint thinners, according to Sugar Creek authorities.
The toluene rail car sparked a nearby car, carrying animal fat, and then a third car, carrying oil.
No one was hurt and no residents had to be evacuated.
Authorities initially let the cars burn. Later in the morning, firefighters cooled the remaining tanks to ensure other cars didn’t catch fire.
A HAZMAT unit was called in to clean up the site and ensure chemicals from derailed cars did not spread into nearby waterways.
Officials took air quality tests that found the air was not toxic.
Three railroad cars that caught fire had stopped burning as of late Saturday afternoon.
Numerous BNSF rail cars derailed in Sugar Creek near the BP refinery located near the Missouri River around 1:45 a.m. Saturday.
The derailment started a fire on one of the cars, causing it to explode. Thick black smoke and intense flames billowed out, fueled by what the car was hauling: toluene, a chemical used in paint thinners, according to Sugar Creek authorities.
The toluene rail car sparked a nearby car, carrying animal fat, and then a third car, carrying oil.
No one was hurt and no residents had to be evacuated.
Authorities initially let the cars burn. Later in the morning, firefighters cooled the remaining tanks to ensure other cars didn’t catch fire.
A HAZMAT unit was called in to clean up the site and ensure chemicals from derailed cars did not spread into nearby waterways.
Officials took air quality tests that found the air was not toxic.
