Train carrying 29 cars derails in Western Kentucky. Roads closed
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Train with 29 railcars and two locomotives derailed around 10:16 p.m. near Peery Road.
- The train carried aggregate materials, automotive cargo, and non-hazardous chemicals.
- Peery Road is closed; U.S. 51 is blocked between KY 288 and KY 80.
A train carrying 29 railcars derailed in Western Kentucky late Sunday night, according to Hickman County Emergency Management.
The incident happened around 10:16 p.m. on the train tracks near Peery Road along the Hickman–Carlisle county line. Emergency management said the 29 railcars and two locomotives went off the tracks but didn’t provide a reason why.
The train was carrying aggregate materials, automotive-related cargo, and various non-hazardous chemical products, according to emergency management. No injuries were reported.
Officials initially believed that two railcars contained potentially hazardous materials, prompting a shelter-in-place advisory, according to emergency management. Officials later determined there were no hazardous materials in any of the railcars and the shelter-in-place advisory was lifted.
The incident happened in “a heavily wooded area beyond the end of Peery Road,” emergency management said. Officials have closed Peery Road until further notice to allow recovery crews to access and clean up the site.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet also said U.S. 51 is blocked off between KY 288 in Hickman County and KY 80 in Carlisle County. People are encouraged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
“Emergency personnel remain on scene and continue to coordinate with CN Railroad representatives as recovery and remediation operations progress,” emergency management said in a Facebook post.
