Norfolk Southern train derails in Alabama just before CEO testifies
Alabama county officials say 30 Norfolk Southern train cars derailed
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw told senators Thursday he is "deeply sorry" for the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, and promised financial aid to the residents there.
Hours before Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw appeared before Congress on Thursday, another of the rail operator's trains derailed in Alabama.
Around 37 train cars came off the tracks in Calhoun County, according to the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.
"There are no injuries and no reports of leaks of hazmat also, we have no road blockages," it said in a Facebook post.
Norfolk Southern told FOX Business in an emailed statement that the incident occurred in Piedmont.
CSX TRAIN DERAILED BY WEST VIRGINIA ROCK SLIDE, CAUSING DIESEL FUEL SPILL
About 37 cars derailed, according to Norfolk Southern's Connor Spielmaker. (Calhoun County Sheriff's Office / Fox News)
The Norfolk Southern train derailed in Calhoun County, Alabama. (Calhoun County Sheriff's Office / Fox News)
Norfolk Southern Chief Executive Alan Shaw testifies on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment before a U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. (REUTERS/Mary F. Calvert / Reuters Photos)
It was reportedly in a wooded area near Iron City Motorway and Angel Road, according to WBRC.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSC | NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP. | 261.27 | -3.59 | -1.36% |
The incident happened at approximately 6:45 a.m. in the White Plains area, where it is reportedly raining.
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Norfolk Southern and other crews responded to the scene of the derailment on Thursday morning. (Calhoun County Sheriff's Office / Fox News)
The Norfolk Southern logo is seen on a smartphone screen. (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Norfolk Southern responded and was working with the agency.
"The train originated in Atlanta, Georgia, and it was traveling westbound to Meridian, Mississippi," Norfolk Southern said.
A Norfolk Southern building in Virginia. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
In a press conference, Norfolk Southern senior communications Manager Connor Spielmaker told reporters that two of the cars were residue hazardous material cars, meaning they had previously carried a hazardous material as described by the Department of Transportation.
"As a federal common carrier, we're required to carry these things that help move America's economy," he said. "Of course, doing it safely is our number one priority."
Spielmaker said Northern Southern would make sure it learns from recent incidents and that questions about the cause of the derailment would have to go to the National Transportation Safety Board, which had also responded.
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The Calhoun County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to FOX Business' multiple requests for comment.