Tag Archives: explosion

Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion, Fire, Foam, Train speed

FRA Official: Speed doesn’t appear to be factor in oil train derailment; may need to use dry chemical on lingering fires

Repost from The Star Tribune | Nation, Minneapolis, MN
[Editor: An updated version of this appears on the Associated Press.  – RS]

Official: Speed doesn’t appear to be factor in oil train derailment in southern West Virginia

By Associated Press, Updated: February 19, 2015 – 2:05 PM

MOUNT CARBON, W.Va. — A federal official says speed doesn’t appear to be a factor in an oil train derailment in southern West Virginia.

Federal Railroad Administration acting administrator Sarah Feinberg said Thursday the CSX train was going 33 mph at the time of Monday’s crash in the town of Mount Carbon. The speed limit was 50 mph.

The derailment shot fireballs into the sky, leaked oil into a Kanawha River tributary and destroyed a house. Nineteen of the 107 tank cars were involved in the fires, which continued smoldering Thursday. The fires have prevented investigators from gaining full access to the crash scene.

Feinberg says it might be necessary to use a dry chemical to douse the fires, out of worry that using water or spray foam would wash oil into the river.

Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion, Fire, Volatile gases

DOT: Gas vapor eyed as factor in West Virginia oil train fireball

Repost from Reuters

Gas vapor eyed as factor in West Virginia oil train fireball

By Patrick Rucker, Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:26pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal investigators will examine whether pressurized gas played a role in the massive blast that followed the derailment of a train carrying crude oil through West Virginia this week, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday.

Questioning the possible role of gas vapors in the West Virginia fire broadens the debate over how to ensure public safety at a time when drastically larger volumes of crude oil are being shipped by rail and roll through cities and towns.

At least two dozen oil tankers jumped a CSX Corp track about 30 miles south of the state capital, Charleston, on Monday, touching off a fireball that sent flames hundreds of feet into the sky.

The U.S. Transportation Department said it has an investigator at the site to take samples of crude once the wreckage stops burning.

“We will measure vapor pressure in the tank cars that derailed in West Virginia,” said department spokeswoman Suzanne Emmerling.

Some experts say the nature of the explosion, which saw a dense cloud of smoke and flame soaring upwards, could be explained by the presence of highly pressurized gas trapped in crude oil moving in the rail cars.

“Vapor pressure could be a factor,” said Andre Lemieux of the Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association, a trade group which is helping the Canadian government adopt crude oil quality tests.

The American Petroleum Institute, the leading voice for the oil industry, declined to comment on whether high vapor pressure might have played a role in West Virginia.

“What we need to do now is allow the accident investigators to do their jobs,” said Brian Straessle, a spokesman for the trade group.

In the past twelve months, API and the North Dakota Petroleum Council have argued that the dangers of vapor pressure are exaggerated, citing self-funded studies that indicate vapor pressure readings are safe.

The Transportation Department did not call for regulations governing the presence of gas vapors in a national oil train safety plan it drafted last summer and is now with the White House for review.

That plan would have oil trains fitted with advanced braking systems to prevent pileups and tougher shells akin to those carrying volatile propane gas on the tracks.

The question of whether gas vapors make oil shipments more prone to detonate has been kept on the margins of the U.S. debate over transporting oil by rail.

The oil train sector has thrived in recent years, pushed by a crude oil renaissance in North Dakota’s Bakken region.

(Reporting By Patrick Rucker; Ernest Scheyder contributed from Williston, North Dakota; editing by Andrew Hay)
Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion, Fire, Rail inspection

WV GAZETTE: Day after derailment, cleanup and restoration begin

Repost from WV  Gazette, Charleston, WV

Day after derailment, cleanup and restoration begin

By Rusty Marks, Staff writer, Tuesday, February 17, 2015


MOUNT CARBON — Cleanup crews began removing the hulks of derailed and burned-out railroad tank cars Tuesday evening, and residents began to get water and electricity back, after a train carrying crude oil derailed, caught fire and exploded in western Fayette County on Monday.

Emergency shelters, set up after hundreds of residents were evacuated from the area, were closed Tuesday evening after CSX, the company whose train derailed, provided hotel rooms for them.

The CSX train, hauling 107 tank car loads of Bakken Shale crude oil from North Dakota to a transportation terminal in Yorktown, Virginia, derailed in Adena Village near Mount Carbon and Deepwater about 1:30 p.m. Monday, setting one house ablaze and causing numerous tank cars to burn and explode. The train also included two cars of sand, which were used as buffers at either end of the train, CSX officials said.

At a briefing Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said officials expected hundreds of residents without electricity to have service restored sometime Tuesday evening.

State officials said fewer than 800 people were affected by outages related to lines damaged by the initial fire. They also said they believed between 100 and 125 residents were evacuated or displaced, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency put that number at 2,400 in its daily report.

Local officials said about 100 people took refuge at emergency shelters Monday night at Valley High School in Smithers and the Armstrong Volunteer Fire Department.

Most people who had been staying at the shelters moved out once CSX offered hotel rooms, and others decided to stay with friends or relatives following the fire.

Billy Dunfee was the last to leave the shelter at Valley High School, having spent the night Monday. “They set us up on cots in the back gyms,” he said.

But the school didn’t have water Monday night, so Dunfee decided Tuesday morning to either stay with relatives or take CSX up on it’s offer for a hotel room. Dunfee wasn’t sure how long it would be before he would be allowed to return to his home.

Smithers police and volunteer firefighters from the area set up a makeshift water distribution center at Valley High School late Monday, and handed out water throughout the day Tuesday.

Smithers Police Chief Gerald Procter said the owner of J&J Trucking in nearby Canvas had a tractor-trailer filled with pallets of water, and took it upon himself to bring the truck to Smithers.

Volunteers had passed out water to about 60 cars by noon, with some drivers picking up water for friends and family members.

“I already came out and picked up water for six households before,” said Cannelton resident Jay Pauley. “I’m getting water for five more. There’s about 20 houses in the section where I live.”

CSX spokesman Gary Sease said the railroad was working with the Red Cross and other relief organizations to help those who had to leave their homes because of the train derailment.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s acting administrator, former Charleston resident Sarah Feinberg, and chief safety officer, Robert Lauby, were among several investigators from the FRA and the federal Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration who were on the scene Tuesday.

“Once the site is secured, officials will begin the investigation into the cause of the derailment,” U.S. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Suzanne Emmerling said Tuesday morning.

Officials at the West Virginia American Water treatment plant in Montgomery, downriver on the Kanawha-Fayette county line, were told to shut down their water intake as a precaution. The intakes were reopened Tuesday afternoon, after three rounds of testing by the company, with the help of the West Virginia National Guard, showed “non-detectable levels” of the components of crude oil in the Kanawha River.

The approximately 2,000 customers of West Virginia American Water’s Montgomery system — including people in Montgomery, Smithers, Cannelton, London, Handley and Hughes Creek — were told to boil their water before using it. Bottled water stations were being set up at the Montgomery Town Hall and at Valley High School.

Kelley Gillenwater, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said that the fires were keeping DEP officials from being able to fully examine the site of the derailment to determine what sort of containment and cleanup is going to be needed.

Full details of water sampling being done by the state were not immediately available, but Gillenwater said that so far the results had come back “non-detect.” She said that despite initial reports, none of the train cars that derailed actually ended up in the Kanawha River.

Tomblin declared a state of emergency in Fayette and Kanawha counties after the derailment. “It appears things are starting to come back to normal,” the governor said at Tuesday’s news conference.

Randy Cheetham, a regional vice-president with CSX, said at the same press conference that the section of track where the derailment occurred had last been inspected on Friday. He said CSX and transportation officials have not yet determined the cause of the wreck.

Cheetham said the derailment started with the third car behind two locomotives pulling the train, and continued to the 28th car. Work crews were able to pull most of the cars away from the site of the fire.

An engineer and conductor on the train were not hurt, Cheetham said. He said the tank cars set fire to one home at the site, and the homeowner was treated for smoke inhalation — the only injury reported related to the derailment.

The West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery canceled classes for the rest of the week. In a statement, WVU Tech officials said water service on campus isn’t expected to be restored for another two or three days, and the school’s residence halls would close at 5 p.m. Tuesday. WVU Tech students will be temporarily housed at the University of Charleston’s residence halls at the former Mountain State University in Beckley, and at the Marriott Courtyard hotel in Beckley if necessary.

In April 2014, a train carrying crude oil on the same North Dakota-Virginia route derailed in Lynchburg, Virginia — one of several incidents involving oil-carrying rail cars in recent months that have brought increased scrutiny to the transport of oil via rail.

In October, officials with the state Department of Homeland Security blacked out details about the frequency of CSX oil train shipments, the amounts of oil transported and the routes the trains took through West Virginia from a Charleston Gazette Freedom of Information Act request for data on Bakken crude oil shipments through the state, citing security concerns and saying some of the information was proprietary to CSX.

Asked Tuesday whether the state would reconsider that stance in light of Monday’s derailment, Tomblin said there were probably still security concerns over releasing the information. However, he said state officials would take another look at the question.

Amtrak’s thrice-weekly Cardinal service, which runs through Fayette County on its way between Chicago and New York City, listed today’s run as canceled on the Amtrak website. Friday’s run is listed as “sold out,” which the service often does to block ticket sales on annulled runs. Tickets are being sold online for Sunday’s run.

Staff writers Ken Ward Jr., Erin Beck and Phil Kabler contributed to this report.
Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion

LOCAL MEDIA CHRONOLOGY: WV derailment and explosion

Repost from WVNS TV, Ghent, WV
[Editor:  These local updates go back in reverse chronological order to the original breaking news report at 2:21pm on Monday, about an hour after the derailment.  – RS]

UPDATE: Unified command set up in train derailment response

By Douglas Fritz, Updated Feb 18, 2015 2:15 PM PST

5:15 p.m. Wed., 2/18/15 UPDATE:
CSX representatives stated that fires from the train derailment on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 are still burning and are being allow to burn themselves out.  Officials said that is the safest course of action for the community and emergency responders.  They plan on moving the train cars that were not involved in the fire sometime on Wednesday, Feb. 18.  There are concerns that compressing the fire may cause oil to get into the water and the foam mixture used to treat this fire could have an environmental impact.  CSX is working with the EPA to develop an environmental management plan.

“Top priorities for response personnel remain the safety of the community and responders, and mitigating the impact to the environment,” said Federal On Scene Coordinator, Capt. Lee Boone.

Cars unaffected by the derailment have already been removed from the area.  Response teams began removing cars unaffected by the fire on Wednesday afternoon.  No oil has been pumped out of the unaffected tank cars.  The cars will be removed with the product still inside, because the oil cannot be pumped out of the derailed cars while the fire is still burning.  When it is safe to do so, CSX will begin transferring oil from the damaged cars to other tanks for removal from the site.  Boats are in the water to monitor the situation and keep the ice at bay.  CSX is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to make sure the water traffic is safe.

Around 100 to 125 people are currently displaced after the evacuation.  Those people are currently at hotels in Fayette County and Charleston, WV.  Some are staying with friends and family.  The evacuation will remain in place until the fire is completely burned out.  There is no timetable on when this will happen, but officials are hoping that the weather will help.

The cause of the accident had not been determined.  The Federal Railroad Administration is leading the investigation, but those crews cannot look at the burned cars because the fire is still burning.  They will be looking for train handling, which includes breaking and speed; condition of the track; condition of the train and external actors such as the weather.

1:30 p.m. Wed., 2/18/15 UPDATE:

Efforts to clean up and investigate the CSX train that derailed on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 continue days after the accident happened.  A command center was set up in Montgomery, WV and crews from Montgomery Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, the EPA and CSX are based out of that location.

Route 61 in the area near the accident is still closed.  Officials said it will remain closed until the fire is completely out.  Crews are taking air and soil quality samples, and everyone who is working at the scene is required to wear an air quality monitoring device.

Once the fire finally burns itself out, railroad cars that are able to be put back on the tracks and moved will be taken away.  Officials said that the tracks will be double and triple checked.  AMTRAK passenger trains that typically use this stretch of railway are being re-routed around the area.

12:45 p.m. Wed., 2/18/15 UPDATE:

The National Transportation Safety Board is working with CSX and the Federal Railroad Administration on the investigation into the train derailment that happened on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015.  Investigators from the NTSB’s office of Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials are in communication with emergency response crews.  CSX and the FRA are providing investigators with detailed damage reports and pictures of the derailed tank cars.  The NTSB said that data from this wreck will be compared to tank car design specifications and similar derailments including Casselton, ND on Dec. 30, 2013 and Lynchburg, VA on April 30, 2014.

“This accident is another reminder of the need to improve the safety of transporting hazardous materials by rail,” said NTSB acting chairman Christopher A. Hart.  “That is why the issue is included on our Most Wanted List.  If we identify any new safety concerns as a result of this derailment, the Board will act expeditiously to issue new safety recommendations.”

According to the release from the NTSB, the cause of the derailment is still not determined.  The investigation has found that after the derailment and unknown amount of crude oil leaked onto the ground and immediately caught fire.  The fires were allowed to burn themselves out.

West Virginia American Water announced that tank levels in the Montgomery system as of 8 a.m. showed that water service is restored to all customers.  The company is advising customers that they me have low water pressure while crews work to bring the system up to normal operating pressure.

A precautionary boil water advisory is still in effect for all customers who have service from the Montgomery system.  This is in accordance with requirements from the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health.  Customers will be notified when the boil water advisory is lifted.

Water samples are being taken every hour by the West Virginia National Guard 35th Civil Support Team.  A full spectrum volatile organic compounds analysis is run on each sample.  The company said all of the tests have come back showing no detection for crude oil related compounds.  Meanwhile, West Virginia American Water delivered another large quantity of bottled water to Valley high School overnight.

4:00 p.m. Tues., 2/17/15 UPDATE:

The investigation into the derailment of a CSX train on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 reveals more details about the accident.  According to CSX, 26 tanker cars derailed during the incident.  Of those cars, 19 were involved in the fire.  As of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a limited number of small fires were still burning off.

CSX representatives are working with local, state and federal officials to remove the cars that were not affected by the derailment from the scene.  They are also deploying environmental protective measures in the affected area, the Kanawha River and the creek near the CSX tracks.

Officials said that fewer than 800 people were affected by power outages that occurred as a result of the fire.  Around 100 to 125 area residents have been temporarily displaced from their homes.  Crews with Appalachian Power are working to restore power to the homes without electricity.

2:30 p.m. Tues., 2/17/15 UPDATE:

West Virginia American Water issued a press release on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 regarding the train accident that lead to a shutdown of the Montgomery water treatment plant.  The plant was expected to be restarted at 1 p.m.  The West Virginia National Guard 35th Civil Support Team conducted three rounds of water quality testing with technicians at West Virginia American Water’s laboratory at the Kanawha Valley water treatment plant.  The samples were taken from different location at the plant and the river.  They showed non-detectable levels of components of crude oil.

As a result of plant being restarted, a precautionary boil water advisory has been issued for the system which it serves.  That affects around 2,000 customers in the communities of Montgomery, Smithers, Cannelton, London, Handley and Hughes Creek.  Residents in that area should bring any water used for drinking, cooking or bathing to a full rolling boil for at least one minute.  The water should then be allowed to cool before use.  The following steps are also recommended:

  • Throw away beverages and ice cubes if made with tap water that has not been boiled.
  • Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
  • Provide pets with boiled water after cooling.
  • Do not use home filter devices in place of boiling or using bottles water; most home filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms.
  • Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.

Bottled water distribution sites were set up on Tuesday afternoon at Montgomery Town Hall on Third Street in Montgomery, WV and Valley High School in Smithers.  The sites are for customers who are waiting for the water service to be restored.  West Virginia American Water provided several truckloads of bottled water and more are expected to be arriving throughout the day.  The company expects all affected customers to have their service fully restored within one or two days.

12:30 p.m. Tues., 2/17/15 UPDATE: 

Officials with CSX announced on Tuesday morning that shelters for those people affected by the train derailment in the Powellton Hollow area have been consolidated.  There are now two shelters set up in the area.  Those include Valley High School, which is being run by the American Red Cross, and the Glen Ferris Inn on U.S. Route 60.

The shelter at the Glen Ferris Inn is also the site of CSX’s community outreach center.  Melanie Cost, with CSX, said that the company is working to get people back into their homes as soon as possible.  The outreach center will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.

Previous locations of shelters included Armstrong Creek Fire Department, WVU Tech’s Gymnasium, Montgomery Fire Department and Valley Elementary School.  Those shelters are now closed.

UPDATE Tues., 2/17/15 : 

WV Politicians react to the train derailment as recovery efforts for a train wreck in the Powellton Hollow area proceed, West Virginia’s leaders in Congress announced they will be visiting the site on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015.  U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) met with emergency first responders , local officials, area residents and CSX representatives.  According to a release from the Senator’s office, he is helping to coordinate and open lines of communication between federal, state and local administrators.

“First and foremost, after touring the derailment site, I am thankful that all West Virginians are safe.  We must work together to find ways to ensure this type of accident does not happen again and transport this material s safe as humanly possible,” said Sen. Manchin.  “I will be working with federal, state and industry officials in the coming weeks to make the necessary improvement to secure our safety.”

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (D-WV) said her staff is available to assist those in need.  The number for her Charleston Office is 304-347-5372.

“As the response to the Fayette County train derailment continues, my sole focus is making sure West Virginians have access to the information and resources they need.  I’ve spoken with Governor Tomblin and CSX to ensure we’re doing everything possible for those impacted by this devastating incident, and my office is in constant contact with CSX as well as federal, state and local officials.”

Congressman Evan Jenkins (R-3rd District) has also said he will be in the area.  Congressman Alex Mooney (R-2nd District) offered his comments on the situation.

“It is my sincere hope that as the derailment situation progresses we continue to avoid an serious or life-threatening injuries.  I believe the top priorities now are to protect downstream citizens’ clean drinking water and contain further spillage,” said Congressman Mooney.  “I stand ready to work with first responders and federal regulators on the scene to determine the cause of the incident and to return evacuated residents to their homes as swiftly as safety allow.  My Charleston office is ready to help with any citizens’ concerns or questions at 304-925-5964.”

West Virginia Delegate Kayla Kessinger (R-Fayette) announced that she is meeting with the Fayette County delegation to the WV Legislature on Tuesday.  The goal is to discuss how they can work together to help those impacted by the accident.

“I am hopeful we will use every tool at our disposal to help in the response.  We must assure that safety is the top priority for -rea residents and the emergency workers responding to this accident,” said Del. Kessinger.

8:00 a.m. Tues., 2/17/15 UPDATE:

Officials at the Emergency Operations Center estimate the fire will burn for another 24 hours after a CSX train derailed in Mount Carbon in Fayette County, WV.  Another explosion rocked the area at about 11:30 p.m. last night which hampered the cleanup effort. No injuries were reported in that explosion.

The surrounding area has been evacuated for a 1.5 mile radius.

7:30 a.m. Tues., 2/17/15 UPDATE:

The West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety has announced that efforts to support first responders and emergency management personnel who are working to clean up a oil train derailment continued throughout the night and into the morning on Tuesday, Feb. 17.  Officials said initial reports that one or more tanker cars had ended up in the water appear to have been false. The West Virginia National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are helping to coordinate the overall response and field local requests for resources and assistance.  (CLICK HERE to read more about bakken crude shipment safety concerns)

The response includes providing potable water for customers of the Montgomery water treatment plant.  The National Guard 35th Civil Support Team is drawing samples to test for spilled crude oil. West Virginia American Water, with the help of the West Virginia Department of Transportation, is providing a pair of 8,000 gallon tankers to supply Montgomery General Hospital and a nearby long-term care facility to ensure their boilers can continue to operate.  The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is working with local water supply facilities to ensure the protection of public health.

CSX and the American Red Cross are assisting residents who were evacuated from the area as a result of the accident.  Shelters have been set up by state agencies at Valley High School in Smithers and Armstrong Creek Fire Department in Powellton.  CSX plans to open a community outreach center to address needs as a result of the train derailment.  That center till be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.  It is set up at the Glass-in Riverside Room at the Glen Ferris Inn on U.S. Route 60 in Glen Ferris.

The Montgomery water treatment plant still had water in its reserves at 10 p.m. on Monday night.  The intake valve at the plant was closed shortly after the accident happened to keep crude oil from entering the system.  The intake valve at the Cedar Grove plant, which is further downstream from the accident, is still open.  Crews at Cedar Grove are monitoring water approaching the intake for any signs of crude oil.7:30 p.m. UPDATE:

West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D) declared a state of emergency for Fayette and Kanawha Counties at 5:40 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015.  The declaration was in response to the CSX train derailment that lead to the evacuation of the Powellton Hollow area, which includes Boomer and Adena Village.  No other counties were included in this declaration.

“Declaring a State of Emergency ensures that residents of both Kanawha and Fayette counties have the access they need to resources necessary to handle all stages of the emergency,” said Gov. Tomblin. “State official are on site and will continue to work with local and federal officials, as well as CSX representatives throughout the incident.”

At 6:30 p.m. on Monday, more shelters were opened to accommodate residents of the area affected by the derailment.  Those shelters are at the Montgomery Fire Department, Valley High School in Smithers, the WVU Tech Gymnasium in Montgomery, Kimberly Community Center in Armstrong Creek and Falls View School.  Earlier in the day a shelter was set up at Valley High School.

Firefighters with the Boomer Fire Department said that there have been at least six explosions in connection with the fire that started from a CSX train that derailed in the Powellton Hollow area of Fayette County on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015.  The derailment happened at around 1:30 p.m.  As a result, the entire town of Boomer was evacuated by 4:30 p.m.

The train consisted of two locomotives and 109 rail cars.  It was traveling from North Dakota to Yorktown, VA carrying crude oil. The scene extends along WV Route 61, near Armstrong Creek road. According to firefighters, the largest explosion happened near a house that was between the railroad tracks and the Kanawha River.  They do not believe anyone was home at the time.  State Troopers said there have been no fatalities reported.  According to a release from CSX one person was being treated for potential inhalation, but no other injuries were reported.

CSX released this statement regarding the derailment:

“CSX teams are working with first responders on the derailment this afternoon of an oil train near Mount Carbon, WV.  At least one rail car appears to have ruptured and caught fire. The derailment has resulted in the precautionary evacuation of nearby communities, and precautionary suspension of operation at the Cedar Grove and Montgomery water treatment plants. CSX is working with the Red Cross and other relief organizations to address residents’ needs, taking into account winter storm conditions.  These efforts include shelters for residents who have been evacuated.  CSX teams also are working with first responders to address the fire, to determine how many rail cars derailed, and to deploy environmental protective and monitoring measures on land, air and in the nearby Kanawha River.  The company also is working with public officials and investigative agencies to address their needs.”

Crews said oil is burning everywhere.  There are some environmental concerns if the oil is under the frozen spots in the river.  Crews on the scene said that the oil in those locations will not burn and will have “all kinds of negative impacts on the water.”

At around 3 p.m. West Virginia American Water closed the intakes to the water treatment plants at Montgomery and Cedar Grove to prevent contamination.  A release from West Virginia American Water shows that approximately 2,000 customers in the Montgomery area will lose their water service in the next few hours if the plant remains shut down.  The company is waiting for confirmation from the WV Department of Environmental Protection and emergency responders about whether or not crude oil migrated into the Kanawha River from Armstrong Creek.  The company has been given permission by the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health to restart the Montgomery water treatment plant if there is clear confirmation that crude oil and other potential contaminants did not reach the Kanawha River.

The Montgomery water treatment plant provides service to the communities of Montgomery, Smithers, Cannelton, London, Handley and Hughes Creek.  West Virginia American Water is working with emergency responders and the Bureau of Public Health on continued response efforts. The company is also working to identify additional emergency water supply options.

“West Virginia American Water apologizes to all it’s customers for this inconvenience and thank them for their patience as we work quickly to respond to this event.”

3:00 p.m., Mon., 2/16/15 UPDATE:

Water intakes in Montgomery and Cedar Grove have been closed because of the train accident along the Kanawha River.  That is according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health.

It is confirmed that the train was carrying crude oil, some of which spilled into the Kanawha River.  While the intakes are closed, customers are urged to conserve water.  The Montgomery Water System is part of West Virginia American Water Co.  The company released a statement regarding the accident.

“West Virginia American Water is aware of the train derailment just east of Montgomery on the Fayette-Kanawha County line.   The Montgomery water treatment plant, which draws water from the Kanawha River a few miles downstream of the accident, was shut down at approximately 2:30 p.m.,” said Laura Jordan, the External Affairs Manager.  “Customers in the Montgomery area are asked to conserve water and only use it for essential functions at this time.  West Virginia American Water is working with emergency responders and the Bureau for Public Health on continued response efforts.”

The West Virginia State Police expanded the evacuation order for the area at around 3:15 p.m. to include anyone with half of a mile of the fire.  Anyone who is not responding to the scene as a part of the emergency crews is asked to avoid the area.

2:30 p.m., Mon., 2/16/15 UPDATE:

Dispatchers have announced that the towns of Adena Village and Boomer Bottom are being evacuated because of a nearby train derailment.

Officials said Route 61 is being shut down as a result of the derailment. A shelter is being set up at Valley Elementary School for people who are being evacuated.

According to Lawrence Messina, communications director for the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, at least one tanker has fallen into the river, and authorities believe crude oil is in the tanker. Messina said officials were unsure if anything else was in the tanker. Messina said the Department of Environmental Protection also was responding to the accident to assess the situation.

2:21 p.m., Mon., 2/16/15 Original Story: 

Firefighters and emergency crews have responded to a train accident in Montgomery, WV busy.

The accident happened at about 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. Details on what exactly happened are still limited at this time. Officials have said that a train has derailed. The location of the accident is near Montgomery, within a four mile radius. Watch for updates hear and on the air as information becomes available.