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February 2005                                                                            Volume 8 - Number 1

Disaster Updates...

Chemical Release in South Carolina

By Julie Margolis

Early morning January 6^th 2005, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina issued a state of emergency in Aiken County, South Carolina. A Norfolk Southern railway train carrying toxic chemicals including sodium hydroxide, chlorine and creosol collided with a parked train in downtown Graniteville. The exposed chemicals were largely composed of chlorine and sodium hydroxide. Inhaling chlorine fumes is hazardous and 8 people died from inhalation of these toxic fumes, the train engineer driving the Norfolk Southern also died from the crash impact. Approximately 5,400 residents were evacuated from their homes.

Human error was determined to be the cause of the crash. A switch was incorrectly “lined and locked” leading the train directly into another parked locomotive. This switch is manually operated and since it was not put in the proper place, it was human error that caused this disaster. According to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, about 40% of all railroad switches are operated manually in the United States.

Considering the large amount of toxic fumes released in the air, air monitoring was a key component of this emergency response. Detours and traffic control (both ground and air) plans were put in place quickly to keep people out of the hazardous area. Controlling the infected area, implementing decontamination stations and employing the assistance of several local, state and federal level organizations helped to minimize and stabilize the affected area. These organizations included the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Transportation Safety Board, the FBI, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Opening shelters and the Salvation Army providing meals helped support those individuals and families who were displaced and needed additional provisions. The American Red Cross opened an information center as well.

Over 230 people were taken to 6 local hospitals, however only 53 were admitted patients.

Even though Graniteville is not the metropolis of the south, it has the resources and some of the most prepared responders in the region. Graniteville is not that small of a town, and considering it’s vicinity to nuclear plants and the associated training for emergencies by definition of being located relatively close to these plants, Graniteville was considered well prepared for this type of disaster. First responders were only about 15 minutes away from the scene of the accident.

The SRS is largely given credit for the degree to which Graniteville was prepared for this type of disaster because preparing for a chemical emergency is part of their operating plan. The SRS is a large federal research and nuclear storage facility, less than 25 minutes away. As soon as SRS learned of the crash and the chemicals involved, they sent a 4 man HAZMAT team to the scene to contribute their expertise and support in the efforts to control and respond to this emergency effectively.

Sources:

- CNN.com - Train wreck evacuees going home - Jan 15, 2005

- http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7283716

- The State | 01/09/2005 | Graniteville toll rises to 9

- http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050125/NEWS01/ 501250327/1002/NEWS

- http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=81194&ran=108868

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