Information for the Community of Milton, Fla. CSX Derailment Recovery Update
Background
On Sunday morning, November 30th, a CSX train derailed twenty-three rail cars near the intersection of Highway 90 and SA Jones Road in Milton, Fla. The train had two locomotives, sixty-one empty cars and thirty-three loaded cars carrying mainly scrap steel and iron. Two of the derailed cars were carrying phosphoric acid, an agent commonly used in the production of fertilizer and soft drinks. All product was contained and no injuries were reported as a result of the derailment.
Since that time, CSX has been working in close coordination with the Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Agency, Santa Rosa County Sherriff’s Dept., East Milton Fire and Rescue, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Hwy. Patrol and other state and local authorities to clear the derailed cars from the site. As of 6:30 p.m. this evening, both lanes of Hwy. 90 between Jeff Ates Road and SA Jones Road were re-opened.
Recovery Efforts
As a next step, CSX, working with Santa Rosa Emergency Management, will begin the cleaning process of an empty railcar that was previously carrying liquid petroleum gas. During this process, steam will be introduced into the railcar, which will force any residual vapors into a flare stack. The vapors will be immediately burned as they are released. Air monitoring will be performed in the immediate area during this process. This standard procedure is a safe, controlled and effective method to dispose of any remaining hazardous material at the derailment site.
The cleaning process will begin Tuesday morning at approximately 9:00 a.m. CST. Both lanes of Hwy. 90 between Jeff Ates Road and SA Jones Road will be closed beginning at 9:00 for approximately eight hours. It is possible that members of the community may see flames or smoke as the work progresses. Emergency response personnel will be onsite for the duration of the process. Once the cleaning process is complete, Santa Rosa Emergency Management, in coordination with Florida DOT, will re-open Hwy. 90.
