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Graniteville train disaster

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Recent History

   The Graniteville train disaster is an American rail disaster that
   occurred on January 6, 2005, in Graniteville, South Carolina.

   The disaster occurred at roughly 2:40 a.m. Eastern Standard Time when
   two trains, owned by Norfolk Southern, collided near an Avondale Mills
   plant in Graniteville. One train, Norfolk Southern train number P22,
   was parked on a siding near the Avondale Mills plant; due to an
   improperly-lined railroad switch, the other train, train number 192
   which was transporting chlorine gas, sodium hydroxide and cresol, was
   diverted into the siding and collided with the parked train. The
   collision derailed both locomotives and 16 of train 192's 42 freight
   cars and derailed the locomotive and one of P22's two freight cars; one
   of 192's tank cars loaded with chlorine ruptured, which resulted in the
   release of at least 90 tons of the gas into the environment. Ten people
   died (nine at the time of the accident, one later due to chlorine
   inhalation), and at least 250 people were treated for chlorine
   exposure.

   5400 residents within a mile of the crash site were forced to evacuate
   for nearly two weeks while HAZMAT teams and cleanup crews
   decontaminated the area.

List of fatalities

   The following people lost their lives in the Graniteville train
   disaster:
     * Christopher Seeling, 28, of West Columbia, South Carolina, engineer
       of through train
     * Willie C. Shealey, 43, of Graniteville, employee of Avondale Mills,
       Inc.
     * John Laird, 24, of North Augusta, South Carolina, employee of
       Avondale Mills, Inc.
     * Rusty Rushton, 58, of Ridge Spring, South Carolina, employee of
       Avondale Mills, Inc.
     * Steven Bagby, 38, of Augusta, Georgia, employee of Avondale Mills,
       Inc.
     * Joseph L. Stone, of Quebec, Canada
     * Tony DeLoach, 56, of Graniteville

   On April 21, 2005, one more fatality was attributed to the accident.
   Leonard Mathis, a brick mason in Graniteville, was driving home from a
   convenience store just after the accident occurred. On his route home,
   he passed through a portion of the chlorine cloud that resulted from
   the collision. His health deteriorated from that point until his death.

Economic consequences

   Norfolk Southern Corporation has announced that it expects the disaster
   to cost in the range of $30 to $40 million (pretax). The monetary
   amount includes Norfolk Southern’s self-insurance retention under its
   insurance policies, as well as other uninsured costs. The amount does
   not include any fines or penalties that might be imposed.

   On May 25, 2005, lawyers involved in the damages claims against Norfolk
   Southern announced that they had reached a preliminary agreement on
   settlements for area residents and business that were evacuated but did
   not seek medical attention. In this preliminary settlement, Norfolk
   Southern would offer each resident who was evacuated and did not seek
   medical attention within 72 hours of the accident a flat amount of
   $2,000 for the evacuation plus $200 per person per day of the
   evacuation. These amounts are separate from any property damage claims.
   Claims that involve injury or death are not included in this
   settlement, but are still being negotiated.

   On May 22, 2006 Avondale Mills’ CEO Stephen Felker announced that it
   would permanently cease operations at all of its plants, corporate and
   sales offices by no later July 25, 2006 resulting in the unemployment
   of more than 4,000 workers across four states. Mr. Felker cited foreign
   competition and the derailment of January 6, 2005 as the primary
   reasons for the company's failure.

Findings and recommendations

   On November 29, 2005, the NTSB issued a report officially blaming the
   accident on the previous train crew's failure to reline the switch for
   mainline operations. The report concluded that neither equipment
   failure nor crew fatigue or drug or alcohol use was a factor in the
   accident. It further concluded that the level and immediacy of
   emergency response to the accident was wholly appropriate for the
   situation.

   As a result of this accident and a similar accident on the Burlington
   Northern and Santa Fe Railway on January 8, 2005, the United States
   Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released to railroads a reminder
   of federal regulations on procedures for turnout operation and safety
   procedures. Among the federal rules regarding turnouts are:
     * The normal position for turnouts on mainline tracks is for mainline
       through traffic.
     * When trains are required to clear the mainline track, they will not
       report that the track is clear until there are no obstructions on
       the mainline track and all turnouts are set for the mainline
       position and locked in place.

   The FRA further recommended that railroads should:
     * ensure that their internal regulations include adequate safety
       procedures regarding turnout position.
     * implement a paper trail to ensure adequate inspection of turnout
       position before a mainline track is declared cleared.

Related information

   On May 24, 2005, Norfolk Southern was awarded the TRANSCAER National
   Achievement Award for 2004. TRANSCAER is an acronym for Transportation
   Community Awareness and Emergency Response, which aims to promote
   emergency preparedness among first responders and communities for
   accidents that involve chemical releases. Part of the reasons for NS's
   selection for this award were the emergency preparedness training that
   the railroad held in 18 of the 22 states through which the railroad
   hauls hazardous materials.
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