HARMAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. — An oil spill from a Norfolk Southern derailment on Thursday has led to the closure of the nearby Allegheny River to boating for the Memorial Day weekend as well as an ongoing road closure.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Thursday afternoon’s derailment in Harmar Township, on the northwestern edge of Pittsburgh, derailed 17 cars, nine of which ended up in Deer Creek about 100 yards from the Allegheny River.
Norfolk Southern says two locomotives also derailed, and that the train consist included a total of four locomotives, 109 loaded cars, and 116 empties. The railroad says two leaking cars of petroleum distillate were initially secured; a leak from a third car was discovered this morning and is now being addressed.
Floating booms have been deployed in the creek to prevent the spread of the leaking fluid, while the U.S. Coast Guard closed the river to boat traffic until the derailed cars are cleared from the water.
Also closed is Freeport Road adjacent to the accident scene.
The derailment occurred about 3:15 p.m. when the NS train struck a dump truck carrying stone at a grade crossing for a sewage plant [see “Norfolk Southern train derails …,” Trains News Wire, May 26, 2022]. Two train crew members and the driver of the truck were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. NS says its crew members have been released from the hospital.
The derailment also damaged the railroad bridge across the creek and temporarily disrupted water service in Harmar, although that was restored after about two hours.
A county official said the complete cleanup could take weeks.
— Updated at 9:10 a.m. with additional information from Norfolk Southern, including correction of the material involved in the leak.
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