Early Monday morning, residents of the 5000 block in Camburn Road were evacuated from their homes due to a train derailment near Stenton Avenue and Joshua road in Whitemarsh Township, PA.
The 40-car CSX freight train had derailed, with 16 cars coming off the Northern Southern tracks.
One car was carrying hazardous material; however, no leaks or spills have been reported.
Hazmat crews were called in to assess the scene and ensure that there is no danger posed to the public; police don’t believe any more evacuations will be necessary.
Mallory Michener and her daughter, two of the evacuees living on Camburn Road, spoke out about their experience with CBS News Philadelphia.
They described being woken up at 5:30 in the morning by authorities as “alarming” and “scary” – not knowing how long they would be gone or how serious it was until they saw all of the emergency vehicles outside their home.
Fortunately, officials reported that silicone pellets found leaking from some of the cars do not pose any threat to those living nearby. No injuries have been reported either.
CSX has stated that its preliminary investigation indicates weather as being responsible for this incident – although further investigation is still underway.
This could potentially mean heavy rains or floods caused some of these trains to come off track due to slippery surfaces or weakened beneath them.
It can also potentially indicate other factors such as faulty tracks or malfunctioning rail joints which may require further inspection into maintenance practices by CSX before similar incidents occur again in future.
