Authorities in Atchison, Kansas, are investigating after six train cars derailed near the city’s downtown area on Monday night.
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According to a post on the city’s official Facebook page, authorities responded to a train derailment in Atchison on Monday evening. Around 6:35 p.m., officers and crews from the Atchison Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to the area between 4th and 5th Streets after several train cars went off the tracks.
Upon arrival at the scene, authorities reported that six empty coal rail cars had derailed, prompting the closure of the 4th Street rail crossing to allow for cleanup and investigation.
The City of Atchison also released harrowing photos showing the rains thrown askew after derailing.
Several cars derailed; however, the city reported that the incident was largely contained within the rail yard property. No fires, hazards, or property damage were reported.
The 4th Street rail crossing will remain closed for an extended period as the railroad company carries out cleanup and investigation efforts. In the meantime, the 5th Street viaduct crossing will remain open for use.
Locals React to Kansas Train Derailment, Including Eyewitness ‘It was Pretty Scary’
Meanwhile, locals flooded the comments to the City of Atchison’s Facebook post detailing the derailing.
“I witnessed the incident; I was at the intersection,” one eyewitness wrote in the comments. “Saw sparking on the tracks before it started to derail. It was pretty scary being so close!” they added.
“That’s why you should never pull up to the cross-arms,” another person advised. “Stay at least 50 feet from them. The average railcar is 46 feet long. I work with them daily.”
Meanwhile, it seems the trains have resumed following the snafu.
The wreckage from Monday’s train derailment was cleared from the main tracks, allowing trains to resume operations in Atchison, Police Chief Mike Wilson confirmed. As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, the 4th Street crossing in Atchison has officially reopened, according to the JC Post.
The cause of the derailment involving approximately seven Union Pacific rail cars and one locomotive remains under investigation. According to Union Pacific, the train crew sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to local emergency services for treatment.