Train derailment, fire prompts mass evacuation in Tennessee

A train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire in eastern Tennessee overnight, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents, local authorities said Thursday.

A CSX Corporation train carrying acrylonitrile, used in a variety of industrial processes, derailed on Wednesday night in Blount County, 19 miles south of Knoxville, local WATE-TV reported. CSX said in a statement that acrylonitrile is flammable and dangerous if inhaled.

No injuries were reported, but at least 5,000 people were evacuated by the Red Cross to a makeshift shelter at a local high school, according to ABC affiliate Wate.com.

On its Facebook page, the Blount County Sheriff's Office said the evacuations could last between 24 to 48 hours.

Firefighters and hazardous-materials crew were on the scene early Thursday, said Blount County Fire Department Lt. Johnny Leatherwood. He added that up to seven police officers required decontamination after coming in contact with the hazardous material.

Thursday’s derailment is the latest in a series of recent accidents involving trains transporting hazardous materials across the U.S. In February, a CSX train hauling crude oil derailed in Virginia with at least 14 cars bursting into flames, causing water company officials to temporarily shut down their water intake.

A study published this week by the public interest groups Forest Justice and Communities for a Better Environment revealed that low-income and minority communities are disproportionately affected by the environmental fallout of such derailments, as train routes are often flanked by communities of color and the poor.

Al Jazeera and wire services