Officials say the train car that leaked styrene sat in a railyard near Cleves for several days before it began venting the hazardous chemical Tuesday. The tanker was headed to the INEOS plastic manufacturing plant in nearby Addyston — but the company’s yard was full.
“These cars were waiting at the side yard before they could move on down the track,” Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency Director Nick Crossley said. “This is a common practice across the United States when moving basically almost any freight is that it can sit in a side yard for four, five, six days while it waits to move. That's the case. This had been there, I think, for five days.”
The train car started venting styrene — which is flammable and can cause nausea, headaches and other symptoms — when a stabilizing additive stopped working. About 200 homes in Whitewater Township were evacuated as the chemical leaked and crews tried to cool down the train to prevent an explosion.
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Crossley says initial reports show the train's safety mechanisms worked properly, opening and closing the pressure release valve. An investigation is underway.
Residents were given the all-clear to return home Wednesday night.
Representatives of the Central Railroad of Indiana, which owns the railyard where the leak happened, have been at the Whitewater Township Community Center to provide resources and answer questions.
“My guidance to the leadership of the communities impacted was that they create their list of things they'd like to see the railroad do and present it in writing to the railroad representatives and then get the response in writing back from them,” Crossley said.
Residents can also call the railroad company at 1-800-757-7387.
Other resources, such as free well water testing, are available by calling 211.