Norfolk Southern derailment South Carolina: Shelter order lifted

A Norfolk Southern derailment South Carolina led officials to issue a shelter-in-place order near Summerville — then lift it after a hazmat team determined there was no threat, as reported by Trains.com.

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office said the Summerville train derailment was reported at about 9:51 a.m. ET. While crews assessed the scene, people within roughly a 1.5-mile radius were told to shelter in place.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The order was lifted around 2:15 p.m. U.S. Route 78, which runs next to the derailment area, remained closed at the time of the update; ABC News 4 also noted the same timeframe and the ongoing road closure.

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In a short video, Summerville Mayor Russ Touchberry said the shelter-in-place order was issued “out of an abundance of caution,” and that U.S. Route 78 was likely to stay closed “for quite some time.”

Norfolk Southern derailment South Carolina: What officials said?

Norfolk Southern said 22 cars were involved and that crew members were not injured. The railroad added that one of the derailed cars was a tank car used to transport chlorobenzene, but it was empty.

Chlorobenzene is a colorless, flammable solvent used in a wide range of products, including dyes and herbicides as well as resins and rubber. The CDC’s ATSDR ToxFAQs on chlorobenzene notes that prolonged exposure has caused drowsiness, headache, eye pain, and sore throat in volunteers.

Where the derailment happened?

Summerville is on Norfolk Southern’s Charleston District, about 25 miles northwest of Charleston.

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