SRT: Train's collision with fertilizer truck could have been much worse
Somerset-Pulaski County Special Response Team (SRT) Chief Doug Baker knows that Friday’s accident involving a train and a truck entering the Warner Fertilizer facility off of Ky. 2227 could have been a much bigger mess — so to speak.
That’s because, while some types of fertilizer are highly flammable, not all are — and the latter kind is what emergency personnel found themselves dealing with at the scene as loaded tanker cars found themselves sitting right on top of the granular fertilizer that spilled from the truck.
“You hear about ammonium nitrate, which under certain conditions is extremely explosive,” said Baker. “But this one … We called Somerset Fire (Department) and Josh Whitis with (Pulaski County) Emergency Management to come so we could all get our heads around it. We go around to check … what the chemical structures are, the reactivities, the hazards.
“This ended up being a fairly stable fertilizer, it’s called a DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate),” he added. “As long as it’s not involved in a fire, it’s stable. So we realized at that point, a lot of our concerns were relieved. … Had there been a fire, it could have been a (massive explosion).”
At around 10 a.m, a semi-truck hauling over 60,000 pounds of fertilizer pulled in front of a train at the crossing off of Ky. 2227 entering the Warner Fertilizer property, according to Baker.
“The train struck the semi in the trailer, so when it came apart, we lost a whole load of fertilizer on the tracks,” said Baker. “… Crap went everywhere.”
He noted that there are no crossbars at the track that prevent someone from going over it when a train is approaching.
“We’ve had a couple or three incidents now at that intersection,” said Baker, noting that it’s possible to not realize one’s trailer is still on the track if the driver is trying to beat a train across.
The Norfolk Southern train was headed southbound “at a pretty good clip,” so it took a while for the train to stop. When it did, that’s when the two tanker cars full of alcohol were stopped over the fertilizer on the tracks.
No one was hurt in the accident, including the truck driver, noted Baker.
Since the train was covered in fertilizer, noted Baker, Norfolk Southern and SRT worked on a solution, and the train was taken on to Burnside to be decontaminated. Baker voiced appreciation for Norfolk Southern in that “they really work well with us.”
Baker said the clean-up at the scene went on throughout the afternoon. The tracks had been re-opened by about 1 p.m., but all the fertilizer had to be vacuumed up, he said, and “it takes a while.”
Somerset Fire Chief Bengie Howard said his units were on the scene until everything was cleared up, about two hours. He noted that Eco-Tech USA was on site to assist with the handling of the hazardous materials.
“There was nothing to put out; all we did was stand by,” said Howard. “Us and SRT work together quite often. Our role was to stand by in case something did happen.”
Also assisting were the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Pulaski County 911, Kentucky Emergency Management and Chemtrec.
Though this incident ended up being a disaster averted, one never knows when the worst might strike. Baker is looking forward to the results of a commodities study that SRT worked on last year with Western Kentucky University that will help them better prepare for situations of this nature down the road.
“This should be out I’m hoping in the next couple of months,” said Baker. “What they do, they sent people over here who for five days sat at U.S. 27 and Ky. 80 and monitored Norfolk Southern’s railway. So when this study comes out, we will be able to see how much actual hazardous stuff comes through the county, by semi through 27 and 80, and by tank car (on the railroad). All the fire departments, emergency management, us, everybody can get together and try to make a pre-plan for something like this. I don’t think a lot of people realize the amount of hazardous cargo that goes through this county every day.”
Baker was most pleased with the cooperation between agencies that allowed the situation to be figured out and handled quickly.
“It just goes to show that even though this ended up in the long run being safe and we were able to mitigate it without harm, had this been in the old days when nobody planned together, (it could have been worse),” said Baker. “Us and Somerset (Fire) do a lot, as well as the other county fire departments. So when everybody gets there, you kind of get together and know what to do.”
https://www.somerset-kentucky.com/news/srt-trains-collision-with-fertilizer-truck-could-have-been-much-worse/article_11d23384-9e7c-11ed-9ed1-3b6cb2a919bb.html