On June 3, 2008, EPA Region 6 was notified by the National Response Center (NRC) of a BNSF train accident and derailment located in Mammoth Springs, Fulton County, Arkansas. The site is immediately adjacent to Mammoth State Park, the Spring River, the Warm Fork River, and Mammoth National Fish Hatchery. Initial information on the number of derailed cars carring hazardous materials, as well as potential spills of hazardous materials and oil was sketchy. The incident occurred at approximately 3:35 local time, after rail cars from a northbound train disconnected from the train's locomotive due to an unknown cause, and rolled back south. A second northbound BNSF train, running several miles behind the first train, was notified and stopped, but the runaway freight cars collided with the second train's lead locomotive. This resulted in a derailment of eighteen rail cars, including a car containing ammonium nitrate, a refrigerated car and attached diesel tank, and several empty flatcars and boxcars. Only about five cubic yards of ammonium nitrate pellets spilled onto soil; none was spilled into the Spring River or Warm Fork River. Approximately 350 gallons of diesel leaked from the refrigerated car diesel tank onto ballast, but none discharged into the river. There were no injuries or deaths reported.
Upon notification by the NRC, the EPA mobilized OSC Franklin and Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team members (START-3) to the incident location to conduct assessment and on-scene monitoring activities, and provide assistance as requested by state and local officials. EPA OSC Franklin and START-3 met with local emergency response officials, BNSF representatives and contractors, and Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) representatives. ADEQ representatives stated that of the eighteen railcars that derailed, one contained ammonium nitrate, and the other seventeen railcars did not contain hazardous materials. EPA observed two flat bed railcars in the Mammoth Spring State Park spring, the headwater of Spring River. The railcar containing ammonium nitrate derailed onto Mammoth Spring State Park property. Other railcars derailed onto the railroad right-of-way, between the State Park and the Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery. The lead freight car from the runaway train segment began leaking diesel fuel after colliding with the locomotive from the northbound train. The fuel was contained in the railway ballast and did not migrate off-site.
OSC Franklin and START-3 demobilized from the site after conducting the on-scene investigation and observing that neither the Spring River, Warm Fork River, or National Fish Hatchery was impacted from the incident.
BNSF response crews will continue to remove the derailed railcars. After the railway is cleared, BNSF will use high-rail vacuum trucks to offload the ammonium nitrate from the damaged railcar and remove the spilled material. BNSF will also use absorbent material to remove any pooled diesel from the track right-of-way, and then apply hydrogen peroxide to the ballast to remove diesel.
EPA will continue to coordinate with the ADEQ and BNSF officials.
The derailment occurred in an environmentally sensitive area between two waterways, a state park, and fish hatchery.
The diesel and ammonium nitrate were contained at the site, and BNSF response crews have stabilized the scene.
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