WOOD RIVER, IL (KMOX) - As crews continue pouring water on four rail cars that are venting spent sulfuric acid, other workers are driving around Wood River with air quality monitors, making sure the air is safe to breathe.
The venting started at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday, prompting officials to order residents south of Route 143, west of Route 111, north of West Third Street and east of North Old Edwardsville Road to stay in their homes, close their windows and turn off their air conditioners. That order was lifted for much of the area Friday morning. However, early Friday morning a vapor cloud was detected, prompting another shelter in place order for those living between Route 143 and Hawhtorne Street. That was lifted at about 7 a.m. Friday.
Related
Norfolk Southern Spokesman Jeff DeGraff tells KMOX they're not sure why the cars are venting.
"These are tank cars, and part of their safety design is they have pressure valves," he says. "If the pressure inside the tank car exceeds allowable limits they will begin to vent in order to normalize the pressure."
DeGraff says without that release, the pressure could lead to more serious problems, including an explosion. He says after the incident is resolved, they will try to determine why the pressure in the cars reached unsafe levels.
One railroad employee was taken to the hospital shortly after the venting was discovered He was treated at a hospital and released.
© 2021 KMOX (Audacy). All rights reserved
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Follow KMOX
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram