Officials earlier today lifted the evacuation for community members and businesses affected by Wednesday night’s derailment of a tank car and fire in Maryville, Tenn.  CSX’s Community Outreach Center, located at 3737 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, will remain open through the weekend to meet the needs of residents and businesses in the area. CSX personnel are available to address costs as a result of the derailment, to answer any health and safety questions, and to distribute bottled water. Affected community members should bring photo identification, proof of address, and receipts for costs incurred.   The Community Outreach Center is open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday, and will remain open until all needs are met.

At the derailment site, CSX is working with federal and state environmental officials to plan removal of soils affected by Thursday’s tank car fire and the release of some portion of the rail car’s approximately 24,000 gallons of acrylonitrile, a flammable liquid used in the manufacture of plastics and in other industrial uses. The car derailed in a train that was en route from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Waycross, Ga. It was one of 57 cars on the train, which was pulled by two locomotives. The affected soils will be removed and replaced, and affected soils disposed of in an approved waste site. Air, water and soil sampling continues in coordination with federal, state and local officials.

Operations today also are focused on removing the two rail cars that remain at the site. The derailed car burned throughout the day yesterday and eventually most of the contents were consumed by the fire. Acrylonitrile in a second car, damaged by the fire, will be transferred to another rail car or tank. None of the material in the second car was released.  The investigation into the derailment continues in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration.

Contact Information
• CSX Community Resource Hotline, 1-800-331-4031
• Health-related inquiries, 1-866-812-9565
• Media inquiries, 1-855-955-NEWS (6397)
• Emergencies, or if evidence of vandalism, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, 1-865-983-3620