Ethanol leak from derailment prompts evacuations

HITCHCOCK — A train derailment that leaked ethanol from two overturned tank cars forced the Tuesday evening evacuation of roughly 40 families, but no injuries were reported, authorities said.

A total of six tankers left the track, five of which overturned, a BNSF Railway company spokesman said.

Authorities were called about 8 p.m. to the 4200 block of North Railroad in Freddiesville, which is an unincorporated area between Hitchcock and Bayou Vista, Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said.

Hitchcock firefighters and deputies evacuated Freddiesville residents living south of state Highway 6 between Western Drive and North Railroad. The highway remained closed in both directions at 10:30 p.m., Hitchcock police Chief Clay Kennelly said.

The highway reopened overnight and by midmorning the overturned cars had been uprighted.

Authorities set up a shelter for evacuees at Crosby Middle School in Hitchcock. The shelter closed, however, when only a family of four arrived and later found other accommodations, Kennelly said.

The evacuation focused on a small part of Freddiesville, possibly 40 to 50 families, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ray Benoist said.
The substance spilled from one of the tank cars was ethanol, Benoist said.

Santa Fe Fire Chief Tommy Anderson said the city’s firefighters assisted with the evacuation. Anderson characterized the incident as possibly a slight leak rather than a spill.

Ethanol is flammable and presents an inhalation hazard, Anderson said.
BNSF confirmed the derailment involved the company’s train, Joe Faust, a BNSF spokesman said.

“Six cars derailed, and five are on their side,” Faust said Tuesday evening. “They’re carrying ethanol, which is not a hazardous material, but is flammable.”

Two of the overturned tankers were leaking, Faust said.

“As a precaution, we’re evacuating the area around the derailment,” Faust said. “It’s somewhat of a rural area.”

The derailment happened in a curve of a “switch track” from the BNSF mainline that is about 300 yards from state Highway 6, Kennelly said.
Meanwhile, state Highway 6 remained closed, Kennelly said. Hitchcock and Bayou Vista police departments were among those working road blocks between the two cities.

“We’re waiting on an assessment from a hazardous materials team that responded from BNSF,” Kennelly said. “Heavy equipment has arrived on the scene, and they’re working on getting the leaking cars secured so we can open the highway back up.”

Authorities hoped to have the highway opened by today’s morning rush hour, Kennelly said.