Fire from derailed train reported
Cleanup efforts from the derailed train incident on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in Normal this weekend sparked a fire which consumed at least two semi-trailers full of cargo and lead to concerns about runoff into Sugar Creek.
The chemical was sampled and identified as non-toxic water-soluble paint and was not hazardous to life or the environment. Normal Fire Department responded to the dead end of Hester Avenue at 9:48 Sunday morning to the report of a fire in the spilled cargo from the earlier derailment. Upon arrival, firefighters had heavy fire and smoke coming from the spilled contents of at least two semi-trailers that were dislodged from the flatbed train cars from which they were being transported prior to the derailment.
Additional resources were added to the call due to the extreme cold and the accessibility of the scene. Fire crews worked to bring the main portion of the fire under control as quickly as possible due to its proximity to the apartment building at 609 Hester.Radiant heat from the fire damaged some of the vinyl siding on the building. There were also safety concerns due to the close overhead proximity of the already damaged power poles and power lines from the derailment.
