At approximately 1032hrs local time on 24 June 2012, representatives from Union Pacific the reporting party and potentially responsible party (PRP) notified the National Response Center (NRC Report No. 1015531) of an incident that occurred at 1007hrs on 24 June 2012 involving a collision between two locomotives. The incident location was at Milepost 484, approximately 2 miles east of the city of Goodwell, Texas County, Oklahoma (Geographical coordinates 36.609187°N -101.602949°E). According to the PRP at the time of reporting the incident to the NRC the incident was described as a collision between an eastbound train and a westbound train and it was unknown if there was a release of material from any of the rail cars but a quantity of diesel from the locomotives has been reported. At the time of the NRC report injuries were expected but there was no information available, the caller also stated that the cause of the collision is under investigation.
At approximately 1800hrs on 24 June 2012, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 Prevention and Response Branch (PRB) Phone Duty Officer contacted EPA-PRB R6 On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Adams that information relayed to EPA from PRP responders onsite regarding developments at the site, including the presence of rail cars containing hazardous materials (HAZMAT), a large diesel and cargo fed fire and that three Union Pacific employees were unaccounted for, prompted EPA to initiate a response to the site. At approximately 1820hrs on 24 June 2012, EPA OSC activated their Region 6 Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractor and at 1920hrs on 24 June 2012, EPA and START mobilized to the site to conduct a Tier 1 response.
