Pollution/Situation Report Profile

CSX Derailment Rosedale Maryland
Rosedale, MD - EPA Region III
POLREP #2
Emergency Response Phase Completed

Printer Friendly | PDF

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
CSX Derailment Rosedale Maryland - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III

Subject:

POLREP #2
Emergency Response Phase Completed
CSX Derailment Rosedale Maryland
A3WB
Rosedale, MD
Latitude: 39.3104439 Longitude: -76.5207624

To:

From:

Gregory Ham, On Scene Coordinator

Date:

9/11/2013

Reporting Period:

through September 11, 2013

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	A3WB	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	5/28/2013	Start Date:	5/28/2013
Demob Date:		Completion Date:	9/11/2013
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency response.
1.1.2 Site Description
This site was the scene of a train derailment. A CSX train hit a truck that was crossing the tracks at an at grade crossing at approximately 2:00 pm on May 28, 2013 in Rosedale, Maryland. The train contained four haz mat cars (sodium chlorate, sodium hydroxide solution, molten sulfur and fluorosilicic acid residue). There were also four cars of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), which is not a listed hazardous material. Apparently the sodium chlorate car exploded shortly after impact. The PTA cars then caught on fire. Two other haz mat cars were derailed but were not compromised. The molten sulfur car was not involved in the derailment or fire.
1.1.2.1 Location
68th Street and Lake Drive, Rosedale, MD
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
After the initial explosion, the primary threats were the two remaining haz mat cars that were in close proximity to the burning cars. Fortunately neither of these cars leaked or were compromised as a result of the derailment. The PTA combustion products were not believed to be hazardous.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
The OSC arrived on scene at approximately 5:00 pm. At that time the fire was continuing to burn, and no water was being applied to it. Multiple fire departments were on scene. Air monitoring using handheld instruments and three Safesite monitors was being conducted by fire crews and CSX personnel. Several slightly elevated levels of CO were detected in close proximity to the fire, but no other notable readings were observed.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative
Baltimore County Fire Department was the lead for the initial phase of the response. Water was applied to the fire at about 6:00 PM, and the fire was considered under control by midnight. It was estimated that between 750,000 to 1 million gallons of water were put on the fire.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Air monitoring was conducted by multiple parties during the incident. CSX brought in a several environmental contractors to conduct air, water, and soil sampling. Results of this sampling have been provided to the EPA (some of these results are in the documents section of the website for this incident).

CSX and its contractors have removed the railcars and debris from the tracks. The two haz mat cars (sodium hydroxide and fluorosilicic acid residue) were re-railed and removed. The remaining sodium chlorate residues were removed from the track ballast. CSX removed contaminated soil and ballast from the area of the fire and the drainage swale along the tracks. These wastes were segregated and staged at a nearby railyard (approximately 140 rolloff containers).

After an evaluation of the disposal options, CSX decided to treat the wastes onsite before disposal. Because of the possibility that small pockets of the oxidizer sodium chlorate might have remained in these wastes, CSX charactarized the wastes as ignitable hazardous waste (hazardous waste code D001). The proposed treatment method was controlled application of polyethylene glycol solution to react with the sodium chlorate. Bench scale testing was completed, and on July 2, 2013, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) issued an Emergency Permit to allow the onsite treatment. This permit set forth the conditions under which the wastes could be treated onsite, and had an expiration date of September 30, 2013.

The onsite treatment of wastes continued from from July through August 7, 2013, when the last shipment was made. The total amounts of wastes are listed below (not including some minor amounts of related wastewaters and solids). After the treatment process was completed and the facility was dismantled, sampling was conducted throughout the temporary treatment and storage area. This sampling indicated that there was no contamination in these areas related to the storage and treatment operations.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

*Waste Stream*	*Medium*	*Quantity*	*Manifest #*	*Treatment*	*Disposal*
Treated wastes	soils, ballast, etc	2125 tons		polyethylene glycol	offsite landfill
Non-haz wastes	soils, debris, decon wastes, etc.	334 tons		none	offsite landfill

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
No further activities are anticipated under Removal authorities. Some followup work will be conducted by the Remedial program as part of the ongoing activities associated with the adjacent 68th Street Dump NPL site.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
No further response activities are planned.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps

2.2.2 Issues

2.3 Logistics Section