A train carrying hazardous materials derailed Thursday in Michigan about 30 miles west of Detroit, but no one was injured and authorities said there is no threat to the community.
The 30-car Norfolk Southern train derailed in Van Buren Township at about 8:30 a.m., forcing the closure of two roads. One road reopened by 2:30 p.m. and another was set to reopen later tonight, according to an alert from the township's public safety department.
"There is no evidence of exposed hazardous materials," according to the alert. "There are no reported injuries."
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy tweeted that of the overturned cars, one contained agricultural grain and the others were empty and that no hazardous materials were released to the soil or waterway.
"One railcar contained liquid chlorine, however [it] was away from overturned section and was included with section of railcars removed first," the agency wrote in a follow-up tweet. "Norfolk Southern has equipment on site and removing/uprighting railcars."
Liquid chlorine is commonly used in swimming pools to kill harmful bacteria. It is also used as part of the sanitation process for industrial waste and sewage.
In an email to Newsmax, a Norfolk Southern spokesperson said the company was aware of the incident and that there were no injuries or hazardous materials released. It provided no further comment. A cause for the derailment has not been determined. The Van Buren Township Public Safety Department said, "the investigation is active and ongoing."
It was a Norfolk Southern train carrying cars of vinyl chloride that derailed Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, forcing an evacuation and a controlled burn of the chemicals that has many worried about water and air quality in the area.
According to Federal Railroad Administration data, the number of train derailments has steadily decreased over the past five years, with 1,376 reported in 2018 to 1,049 reported last year.
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