Tracks reopen after train derailment, shelter-in-place order in Western Kentucky city
Emergency officials lifted a shelter-in-place order Tuesday afternoon for a Western Kentucky city after a train derailed from the track that morning, releasing molten sulfur.
The train derailed around 6:20 a.m. local time Tuesday between Trenton, a Todd County city of several hundred people southeast of Hopkinsville, and Pembroke in Christian County, parallel to U.S. 41. Todd County Emergency Management Director Ash Groves said a CSX train carrying 31 cars came off the track, and one car was carrying molten sulfur.
No injures were reported. Groves said first responders were able to contain the molten sulfur leak and prevent the release of dioxide into the environment.
Hazmat teams also tested the air quality and determined there was no threat to the community, Groves said. The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 11 a.m. local time, according to CSX.
“CSX crews remain on scene and are working as safely and quickly as possible to completely restore the area,” CSX said in an updated statement Wednesday. “We appreciate the swift response and coordination of local first responders and emergency management officials.”
Crews on scene worked throughout Tuesday night to remove derailed cars and complete repairs to the track. CSX said the track reopened at approximately 7 a.m. Wednesday.
During the shelter-in-place Tuesday, Trenton residents were asked to turn off their HVAC systems. The Todd County Sheriff’s Office said any resident displaced or affected by the incident can seek shelter at Tiny Town Bingo in Guthrie. Groves said the shelter will remain open for as long as necessary.
Exposure to sulfur dioxide can make breathing difficult and can damage the respiratory system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. People with asthma, especially children, are susceptible. The chemical can also damage the environment.
U.S. 41 between Trenton and Pembroke remains blocked because of the derailment, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said. The road is expected to be closed for the rest of the week.
It’s unknown what caused the train to derail from the track. Groves said there are no materials of concern in the other 30 cars.
CSX said it’s investigating the cause of the derailment.
In 2023, a CSX train carrying two cars of molten sulfur derailed in Rockcastle County, north of Livingston. The chemical caught fire, sending noxious fumes into the air. In response, Beshear declared a state of emergency and officials advised residents to evacuate. Affected residents weren’t allowed to return to their homes until a day later.
CSX said the 2023 accident happened because a wheel bearing on a train car failed. Two women who live near the site later sued the transportation company in federal court, claiming recklessness and negligence in monitoring the train’s wheel bearings caused the wreck.
On Oct. 7, CSX and the plaintiffs reached an unspecified agreement, according to court records. U.S. District Judge Robert Wier agreed to stay the proceedings Dec. 2 while the parties draft the terms of the settlement.
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 10:34 AM.
