STORM2K

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2772501&nav=0RaMUt0k

(Graniteville) Jan. 6, 2004 - Eight people were killed and at least 200 others were injured Thursday after a freight train carrying chlorine gas struck a parked train in the Aiken County town of Graniteville causing a chemical leak.

Eight people remain in critical condition Thursday night after the 2:30am wreck of Norfolk Southern trains near a textile mill. About 5400 people were forced to evacuate the surrounding area.

Norfolk Southern says three of the cars on the moving train were carrying chlorine and one of the tankers ruptured. Authorities remained unsure, as of a 9:00pm news conference, when the gas leak might be sealed. Officials say the scene has been secured and will be monitored throughout the night.

Aiken County Sheriff's Lieutenant Frank says ten reconnaissance teams fanned out early Thursday around the community to access the damage, warn residents of evacuation and potentially look for victims.

Five of the deaths are reported to be Avondale Mills employees. Two died outside the mill, two died in the basement of the Woodhead section of the plant and one died in the Steam section.

An elderly man also was found dead in his Main Street home and a truck driver was found dead in the sleeper cab of his big rig parked on Lightner Street.

Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman confirmed that a train engineer was one of the dead and spoke to residents, "We are profoundly sorry. We will do everything within our power to ease the pain that this situation has created for the residents of Aiken County."

None of the victims have yet been identified.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford declared a state of emergency for Aiken County and was briefed at the scene. Governor Sanford says his prayers go out to the folks of Graniteville on behalf of all South Carolinians, and he commended the work of law enforcement and emergency responders.

Sanford's declaration activated the state emergency operations plan and emergency operation center. The state is providing hazardous materials management, health and medical supplies and law enforcement help. Sanford says he wants to make sure those dealing with the situation have everything they need.

The governor didn't mince words about the accident at an afternoon news conference, "It's a very significant event given the fact that chlorine is a deadly chemical and has already caused a number of deaths and I suspect that death toll will rise." Sanford said he saw a body near a factory while flying over the area and he suspected other victims might be inside homes. He says law enforcement officers spotted dead dogs and fish near the crash site.

Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt imposed a mandatory evacuation for all Graniteville residents living within a mile of the crash site.

Sheriff Hunt also imposed a dusk until dawn curfew from 6:00pm to 7:00am in Graniteville for residents living within two miles of the crash. The curfew zone is bounded to the north by Highway 191 from Trolley Line Road to Highway 118, to the south by Pine Log Road to the east by Highway 118 to Pine Log Road and to the west by Breezy Hill Road, Midland Drive and Legion Road to Pine Log Road.

The governor says the FAA has issued a no-fly zone for five miles around the area.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control is sampling the air in Graniteville. Residents are being encouraged to stay inside, close all doors and windows and turn off heaters or air conditioners. Frank says those who don't remain inside will instead have to go to decontamination areas until the all clear is given. Frank says there are around 15 roadblocks in the area because of the leak.

Chapman says a train with three locomotives and 42 cars struck a locomotive with two cars parked at a siding at Avondale textile mill. Two people on the moving train were taken to the hospital, but there was no one on the parked train. 16 cars reportedly derailed, including three tankers carrying chemicals.

Norfolk Southern is now waiting for the go-ahead to move in a locomotive to pull the 26 undamaged cars away from the scene.

Some have complained of throat and eye irritation, and hundreds headed to area hospitals. A survey of hospitals from Lexington to Augusta, Georgia, show at least 234 people were taken for treatment. At least 58 people were admitted with at least eight of those in critical condition.

More than a dozen agencies are at the scene and the federal Environmental Protection Agency has been called. A Norfolk Southern team is also on the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board has a crew in the area investigating the crash.

The Coast Guard is also dispatching a special haz-mat team to assist in the cleanup and monitoring of the accident.