Cleanup underway: Evacuees return to homes following train derailment in Slinger
SLINGER (WITI/AP) — A collision of two trains and a resulting diesel fuel spill in Slinger are being investigated, and cleaned up. Dozens of residents evacuated following the collision and derailment of three engines and 10 train cars on Sunday night, July 20th have been allowed to return to their homes -- as crews work to clean up the 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled. On Monday afternoon, a 911 call that alerted officials to this incident was released.
Fire officials in the Washington County village of Slinger evacuated the residents Sunday night due to concerns that the diesel fuel spilled following the collision of two trains would catch fire.
Below are two 911 calls made moments after the train collision.
As crews work to clean up the mess, investigators are looking into why the back end of one train collided with the front of another, as two tracks merged.
"All of the sudden I heard the brakes go. The terrible squealing -- all of a sudden 'boom,'" Lori Hess, who lives near the scene told FOX6 News.
Slinger Fire Chief Rick Hanke says three engines and 10 railcars from two trains derailed. Two people on the trains suffered non life-threatening injuries.
Canadian National Railway Co. spokesman Patrick Waldron said Monday three southbound Canadian National locomotives (engines) and three cars carrying frack sand derailed and struck cars from Wisconsin & Southern that were carrying steel, lumber and plastic pellets. Hanke says some of the lumber spilled.
"We were trapped. They evacuated everyone outside the trains, but we were stuck in here. I couldn't leave," Hess said.
Investigators are now looking into how, exactly, this incident happened.
The tracks are on a main corridor from Chicago to Winnipeg. As many as two dozen trains were held up or rerouted on Monday -- due to the incident in Slinger.
"What we do know is we had a permissive signal to continue south and it struck a cut of cars located on the section of track where the tracks crossed," Waldron said.
"Somebody screwed up," Hess said.
Because the track that runs through Slinger is a highly-used track, repair crews are working hard to hopefully get the track opened up Monday night.
FOX6 News has learned the two people who were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries on Sunday night have been treated and released.
There are a variety of resources you can tap into to learn more about train accidents here and around the country. Click the links below to do you own investigating.
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