WOOD RIVER, IL – Hundreds of residents on the eastern side of the Mississippi are under a shelter-in-place order today after multiple railcars leaked dangerous chemical vapors into the atmosphere, Fox 2 Now reports.
Authorities discovered yesterday afternoon that a stationary railcar had become overpresurized and had begun to leak sulfuric acid vapor into the air. By this morning, four railcars had apparently been affected.
Crews with the Norfolk Southern Railroad are dousing the affected cars with water to dissipated the dangerous vapor. They say that no liquids and solids have been released into the environment, and that the leaks have been brought under control.
A shelter-in-place order was issued to Wood River residents as a precaution, and remains in effect as of this posting.
This article is one in a series presented by OnderLaw to inform our neighbors about car accidents and traffic news across our city. It should not be interpreted as legal advice. However, if you or someone you love has been injured in a chemical accident, we would like to discuss your case in detail. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, your lost income, and other expenses. More importantly, the only way to fight for stricter regulation of dangerous chemicals or fix the root cause of many accidents is to enlist the help of an experienced attorney that has the possibility to effect change and can prevent this from happening to another family. Contact us today to speak to one of our compassionate St. Louis personal injury attorneys.
