Environment

Train derails in Southern California, acid clouds fill air

by ryan | March 4, 2008 at 07:52 am

497 views | 0 Recommendations | 2 comments

NowPublic member riken reports from the scene:

Hi, yes the news are true. I work in Coachella a mere 4 miles from this Mecca Town. My local High school is hosting families that were evacuated from the area and they're staying here now. We don't know the extend of this accident since the local news can only show so much, but they're saying experts crews from around the country are making their way down here to hopefully cleanup this mess.

I hope and pray the damage was minimal.

________________________________________

If you have more information please tell us.

MECCA, Calif. - A Union Pacific train has derailed in the Southern California desert town of Mecca, setting two tanker cars ablaze.

The accident happened around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

Fire officials say about 60 residents in nearby homes have been evacuated, and a cloud of acid fumes is lingering over the crash site. One tanker car was carrying phosphoric acid, and another was carrying hydrochloric acid.

Riverside County Fire Capt. Julie Hutchinson said a one-mile radius has been set up around the accident site and no one is being let inside because of the potentially hazardous fumes.

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ryan

flagged this story as News Wanted

at 07:58 on March 4th, 2008

I think this is an important story and would benefit from other NowPublic contributors working on it. I've flagged it as News Wanted and invite others in relevant locations to look for more evidence.