Norfolk Southern train derailment: What we know about Clark County incident

This is what we know now about the Norfolk Southern train derailment in Clark County on Saturday.

Next update: A press conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday to provide more details on the derailment.

No public threat: Authorities reported that 20 cars of a 212 car Norfolk Southern train derailed on State Route 41 near Gateway Boulevard, between Interstate 70 and Bird Road, near the Clark County Fairgrounds. No hazardous materials were found, according to a news release from Clark County. Four tankers included non-hazardous materials - “two with residual amounts of diesel exhaust fluid, and two with residual amounts of polyacrylamide water solution,” the Sunday morning release from Clark County said. “There is no indication of any injuries or risk to public health at this time. A crew from the owner/operator of the railway Norfolk Southern, the Clark County Hazmat team and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency each independently examined the crash site and verified there was no evidence of spillage at the site.”

Cleanup: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency crews are expected in Clark County Sunday to oversee the cleanup. Work crews could be seen at the site.

Shelter-in-place: For those who live within 1,000 feet of the derailment, the shelter-in-place order from the Clark County Emergency Management Agency was lifted Sunday.

Power outages: Just under 50 customers in the area near the derailment site, including the Clark County Fairgrounds, were still without power Sunday. A motorcycle event scheduled for the fairgrounds’ facilities was converted to an outdoor event, according to Clark County Fairgrounds Executive Director Dean Blair, Clark County.

Traffic: State Route 41 between Interstate 70 and Gateway Boulevard in Springfield remains closed until further notice, the Ohio Department of Transportation said Sunday while issuing two detour routes Sunday - Northbound: I-70 west to S.R. 72 north to S.R. 41 north; Southbound: S.R. 72 south to I-70 east to S.R. 41 south.

About the Author