Wartrace, Tennessee woke up to an unsettling start this morning when a railroad derailment prompted the evacuation of around 50 homes and promised to shake up the day's traffic flow. It was around 7 a.m. when four cars, heavy with denatured alcohol, jumped the track, though mercifully, no leaks were reported. CSX Transportation, which runs this line, has taken up the mantle of cleanup, but they're not going at it alone.
Their crews are being joined by a cadre of local heroes—Bedford County Emergency Medical Services, Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, Bedford County Sheriff's Office, Bedford County Fire Department, Wartrace Fire Department, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and Tennessee Department of Health, all on site to tend a watchful eye. According to a social media post from Bedford County, "No further evacuations are expected," and those displaced should find their way home by day's end. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, save for two bedridden residents who had to safely be transported.
The mishap occurred off the main thoroughfare, leaving the primary CSX artery through Bell Buckle, Wartrace, and Normandy unobstructed. Bear in mind, though, the mainline trains are set to move with uncharacteristic sluggishness due to the up-close work at the derailment site. This means longer waits at crossings are inevitable. Officials are strongly advising those not needing to be in the area to steer clear for now. Bugscuffle Road, in the meantime, remains closed in the face of cleanup.
Parents should expect some delays in kiddos making it home after school too—school buses are being rerouted, the result of which will likely cause some children to be dropped off later than the usual time. Consider this a small wrinkle in the fabric of an otherwise regulated schedule. Amidst these disruptions, remember that the cargo carried by the derailed cars is denatured alcohol; essentially, the beverage alcohol we're familiar with, doctored to prevent consumption and repurposed for industrial use as fuel or solvent.
