North Texas train derailment: Propane from damaged car to be burned off

[Desmond Milligan 0]

The Brief

• A train derailed in Palo Pinto County, with 35 cars overturning Tuesday.

• Crews are conducting a controlled "liquid flare" burn-off of propane from a damaged car.

• The operation is expected to last up to eight hours.

GORDON, Texas - After a train derailment in Palo Pinto County Tuesday, propane carried by one of the overturned and damaged cars is set to be burned off.

The "liquid flare" operation is part of the ongoing response to the incident, Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District 1 said in their Wednesday update.

North Texas train derailment

The latest

The liquid flare process will allow for propane to be released and ignited in a secured dirt pit under the supervision of hazardous materials specialists, the release says.

The operation is required due to significant damage to the train car. They said the process would begin early Wednesday evening and is expected to last up to eight hours.

The scene remains stable, the office reported, with all personnel accounted for and no injuries reported.

The backstory

The Union Pacific train wreck happened around 2 p.m. Tuesday on the Coalville Road Bridge in the town of Gordon, which is about 65 miles west of Fort Worth, just north of Interstate 20.

Images from SKY 4 showed a pile-up with multiple freight and tanker cars. In a later update, Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District #1 said about 35 cars had derailed.

At first, there was concern that some of the overturned tankers were leaking. However, the emergency officials said no cars were leaking contents and no evacuations were necessary.

Fire crews worked until at least 9 p.m. to contain a grass fire that was sparked in the wooded area near the tracks.

The Source

The information in this story is from Palo Pinto emergency officials.

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