Update: Ohio derailment explosions, fire sparked from thousands of gallons of ethanol
A fire official says a freight train carrying agricultural chemical products has derailed and some cars burst into flames in Columbus, Ohio, causing an explosion and injuring at least two people.
Lt. Terry Bush says the accident happened at about 2 a.m. EDT Wednesday in a mixed-use part of the city, on a curve on the Norfolk Southern track just west of Fields Avenue and south of E. 11th Avenue.
Roughly 100 residents living within a one-mile radius of the derailment were evacuated to the Rhodes Center at the fairgrounds, said Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Michael Fowler.
Ninety-eight train cars were part of the train that derailed with four to five of the cars reportedly carrying chemicals like denatured alcohol and Styrene, a chemical used to make plastic, WBNS-10TV reported.
Residents reported seeing and feeling an explosion from miles away.
Bush says it's unclear exactly what is burning, and says details on the two injured were not immediately available.
A hazardous materials team is on the scene, as well as Norfolk Southern railroad.
This is a developing situation and it is unknown at this time what impact, if any, this chemical fire is having on environmental conditions in the Columbus area.
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