On Monday, June 30, a freight train derailed in Hartford, causing thousands of gallons of diesel fuel to spill from the cars. Crews immediately responded to the scene in an effort to clean up the mess. In total, 19 cars were derailed at around 9:30 a.m. which prompted about 80 first responders to show up in Hartford to immediately lend a hand at the scene of the accident. Three conductors, who were all on the train at the time of the crash, were sent to the hospital. Their injuries are supposedly minor.
After the derailment was reported, a hazmat team was called to the scene to help start cleaning up the spilled diesel fuel. A nitrous oxide tank was also found at the crash site, but it was allegedly not cracked or spilling. Responders immediately got to work helping to protect the scene and mitigate the damage of the incident.
Leaked diesel fuel from a train derailment may pose several threats to the environment, and the health of both people and animals. If not properly taken care of, it may damage the soil and pollute the water. Small nearby rivers flow into the Rubicon River and need to be taken special care of so that toxic compounds aren’t dispersed throughout them. Fish and other wildlife can be directly affected by these spills, as their accidental ingestion of contaminants from leaked fuel may impair their reproductivity, reduce growth, and may be fatal to vulnerable creatures such as eggs and larvae.
Containing any leaked fuel is also important to protect any natural groundwater. Drinking water may contaminated after a large spill and result in the water being unsafe for human consumption.
Despite these potential risks, crews were quickly on site at the scene of the crash. They dug barriers and pumped out fuel so that its effects could be contained. No evacuations or warnings were released response crews, and there were no major road closures. The immediate response by seven different teams helped protect the area. The cleanup process may last for some time even after the site is deemed safe, as prolonged monitoring of a spill site can ensure that there will be limited environmental effects after the incident.
