News Train explosion in Belgium

[Athena]

Two dead, nearly 300 evacuated in Belgium after train with chemicals derailed, caught fire

At least two people died and 14 were injured after a train carrying chemicals derailed and caught on fire in Belgium. Nearly 300 people were evacuated from their homes in the northwestern city of Ghent.

The incident happened around 2:00am local time (24:00 GMT), causing a major fire. Five people were hospitalized, none with critical injuries.A total of six carriages derailed: two were on their side and three were on fire.

The blaze has been contained, but firefighters said that they might wait until the fire goes out by itself because extinguishing it might be dangerous due to burning chemicals emitting poisonous gas. The blazing carriages contained acrylonitrile, a toxic, but no explosive substances. There is no danger to the public at this point.

 

[Urwumpe]

acrylonitrile? That is some really nasty stuff to catch fire. But the photograph looks like the worst is already over. It can become a primary explosive when heated.

 

[Spacethingy]

How did 2 die and 14 become injured? It was a freight train with no pax train involved? :shrug:

 

[garyw]

It'll emerge in time but the train would have had a crew and if it derailed near housing the fumes could account for the injuries or the debris may have landed across a road.

EDIT: BBC say the injured are from a nearby housing estate -> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22410751

After this, I hope there will be a safety review. A train carrying such chemicals should have stayed intact after derailing.

 

[Alfastar]

How did 2 die and 14 become injured? It was a freight train with no pax train involved? :shrug:

Well, the freight train is close to inhabited area. Plus, the disaster was happening midnight at 2 o clock. So everybody was sleeping until the explosion was happening. The bang of the explosion can also cause some bad damage. Plus, its not clear of the fire is / was toxic or not.

Bit notable, the machinist survived it without having be wounded.

 

[Urwumpe]

After this, I hope there will be a safety review. A train carrying such chemicals should have stayed intact after derailing.

No, the tanks had been pretty fine, the chemical is the problem, also rumors in German newspapers claim, that the trains from the netherlands, like this one, had been constantly too fast and this one derailed at a switch, which happens if you are too fast.

 

[Alfastar]

No, the tanks had been pretty fine, the chemical is the problem, also rumors in German newspapers claim, that the trains from the netherlands, like this one, had been constantly too fast and this one derailed at a switch, which happens if you are too fast.

Also to note: The track where the disaster is happening was in maintenance some days ago before. There was a speed limit of 40 km/h, and the (Dutch) machinist was going 80 km/h.

 

[Urwumpe]

Also to note: The track where the disaster is happening was in maintenance some days ago before. There was a speed limit of 40 km/h, and the (Dutch) machinist was going 80 km/h.

OK, sounds like a lot too fast. Does Belgium use different railroad signs than the rest of Europe? I know Germany and France are pretty similar.

 

[garyw]

No, the tanks had been pretty fine, the chemical is the problem, also rumors in German newspapers claim, that the trains from the netherlands, like this one, had been constantly too fast and this one derailed at a switch, which happens if you are too fast.

Not in the UK, if you are too fast the trains brakes are tripped and you come to a very sudden stop.

 

[Urwumpe]

Not in the UK, if you are too fast the trains brakes are tripped and you come to a very sudden stop.

Only on the tracks that are equipped with such a system. We have had an accident between a freight train and a full regional passenger train one hour away from my place, that would have been prevented if such a system would have been used even on such less frequented tracks. In this case it was the freight train over running a red signal and entering a single track section.