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CSX To Lead Derailment Probe

Rebecca Brasch for NorthEscambia.com

CSX Railroad is taking the lead into the investigation of Tuesday night’s train derailment in a remote part of Escambia County.

The accident, involving 23 of the 69 cars in the train, occurred near the McDavid Sawmill. Nobody was injured but along with the cars, a bridge and tracks were also heavily damaged. It may take crews several weeks to make repairs.

“We’ve had to stage certain parts of the site to get our equipment in there, because it is very remotely located,” said CSX spokeswoman Kristen Seay. “We have several different types of equipment that we have to use – some to move the rail cars off the track, some to move them out of the creek, others to transfer the product from the rail car onto containers.”

Two tanker cars carrying phosphoric acid plunged into Fletcher Creek with other cars landing on top of them. Officials say there was evidence of a small leak from one of the cars, which Seay confirmed.

Phosphoric acid is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a syrupy consistency. It has a wide variety of uses, ranging from a rust inhibitor to a food additive. It’s what gives cola soft drinks their tangy flavor. The leak prompted a health alert for the creek from the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County.

The crash investigation is being conducted by CSX and the Federal Rail Administration.  Kristen Seay at CSX says all rail accidents are different, but there are three common-thread areas where they’ll begin looking.

“That would be the track; the rail cars and locomotives themselves, and how the train was being operated,” said Seay.

The Escambia Health Department’s Robert Merritt – who heads the agency’s Environmental Health Division -- says they’ll be working with the state Department of Environmental Protection in testing water from Fletcher Creek.

“DEP will be the contact for that, and the contractors that are out there will continue to monitor the situation as it goes on,” said Merritt.

CSX’s Kristen Seay says it’s unknown just how long the investigation and cleanup of Fletcher Creek will take, calling it a “multiple-day investigation,” likely slowed by this week’s winter storm and frigid weather.