Union Pacific Railroad will begin a liquid flare early Wednesday evening to safely dispose of propane from a rail car damaged in a derailment, according to a media release from Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District 1.
The liquid flare operation is expected to last six to eight hours, and residents in the area can expect to see smoke and possibly flames, an ESD1 official said in a media release.
“There is no danger to the public or the environment,” Amy Meyer, ESD1 spokeswoman, said in a media release. “Please do not call 911 to report smoke or flames related to this operation unless you believe there is an unrelated emergency.”
The operation will be carried out in response to significant damage to one propane rail car from Tuesday’s train derailment involving 35 rail cars near the Coalville Road Bridge near Gordon, Meyer said.
A man retrieves items from the back of a vehicle as the remains of a derailed Union Pacific train hang off the track behind him just outside Gordon, Texas, Wednesday. There were no injuries or hazardous material spilled in the accident which occurred Tuesday about 90 miles east of Abilene.
“This process, similar to a controlled venting and burning, allows propane to be released and ignited in a secured pit under the supervision of hazardous materials specialists,” she said.
Union Pacific hazardous materials personnel and contracted HAZMAT specialists will conduct the operation in a secured area, Meyer said.
“Fire and emergency crews will remain on scene throughout the operation, and Unified Command will remain in place until the process is complete,” Meyer said.
The scene of the derailment remains stable, she said. In addition, all personnel have been account for, and no injuries were reported.
The cars went off the tracks at around 2 p.m. Tuesday, according to a previous ESD1 media release.
Crews continued Wednesday to evaluate the scene of the train derailment east of Gordon in Palo Pinto County.
Trailers are lined up near the intersection of Texas State Highway 193 and Coalville Rd. outside the Colt Midstream Gordon Gas Processing Plant near Gordon, Texas, Wednesday. Heavy machinery was being used in the response to a train derailment the day before on the other side of the gas plant. No injuries or damaged structures were reported.
Officials are asking the public to avoid the area as Union Pacific Railroad works to clean up the site and restore railroad service, according to a Facebook post Wednesday by the emergency services district. They caution that it will be an ongoing operation for several days and that updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
The wreck happened near the Coalville Road Bridge, within 2 miles of Gordon, officials said. A few small grass fires were sparked by the accident. None threatened any structures, and the blazes were contained by responding fire personnel.
Gordon is a town of about 500 people in North Central Texas. Possum Kingdom Lake is mostly located in Palo Pinto County.
The emergency services district has been managing the site with Union Pacific hazardous materials officials, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Railroad Association, the Texas Forestry Services and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
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(This story was updated with new information.)
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Liquid flare planned for propane rail car damaged in Texas derailmen
