Menu
Train derails in Scott County; no injuries or hazardous material spills reported
PERKINS, Mo. — Eighteen train cars fully derailed early Friday, Sept. 15 in Scott County, forcing an extended closure of a portion of a state highway. No injuries or hazardous material spills were reported.
According to Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury, around 1:45 a.m. Friday, a Union Pacific train derailed on Highway P, near county highway 266 just north of Perkins. Eighteen cars came off the tracks, he said.
“The cars containing hazardous materials were still safe and remained on the track,” Drury said, adding the 18 cars that derailed were scattered all over the highway.
Local fire departments took to social media early Friday to alert the public of the situation.
“Upon arrival, units quickly assessed the scene and confirmed 18 auto-tracks (car haulers) were derailed on both sides of the tracks,” Perkins Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post early Friday.
Scott City Fire Department also described the events.
“The Region E HSRT (Homeland Security Response Team) was initiated due to unknown involved extent of possible product on board in the debris with several people stating they could smell a chemical. Due to the darkness and unable to get a full incident view, personnel on-scene were split up into two teams to cover both sides of the elevated track to fully investigate the extent of the derailment and any hazards,” Scott City Fire Department said in its Facebook post.
After confirming all the hazardous material cars were still safe and secured on the tracks, Scott City Fire said they remained on scene to assist with command and traffic control until Missouri Department of Transportation arrived to deploy barricades. Once barricades were in place, all agencies were released from the scene and went in service returning.
By approximately 3:35 a.m. Friday, all units were able to clear the scene and return in service, according to Perkins Volunteer Fire Department.
Highway P was immediately closed between between county highways 266, 268 and 277 was expected to be closed for an extended period of time for cleanup. Drury estimated it would take at least couple days to clear all debris from the roadway.
The cause of the derailment was unknown as of early Friday and remained under investigation, Drury said.
“Please be patient because we will be picking up the debris for a while,” Drury said to residents and those traveling through the area.
Crews with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Delta Fire Protection District, Perkins Fire Department, Scott City Fire Department, Bell City Fire and Rescue, Oran Fire Protection Department and Scott County Rural Fire Protection District, Morley Police Department, Missouri Region E HSRT and Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene.