No injuries after 22 freight cars derail in Santa Fe, Texas, leak causes brief evacuation

22 freight cars derail in Texas; no injuries

SANTA FE, Texas — Authorities say 22 freight cars derailed in southeast Texas and caused a brief evacuation after a nonhazardous substance leaked. No injuries were reported.

Joe Faust, a spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, says it’s not immediately clear what caused the Houston-bound train to derail Thursday morning in Santa Fe.

Faust says two tankers ruptured. One carried an asphalt material, while the other was hauling molten sulfur.

Police Capt. Wayne Kessler says the oil-based substance used to make asphalt leaked.

The cleanup will involve heavy equipment moving the cars.

Kessler describes the jumble of derailed cars as “a mess.”

Kessler says an evacuation order issued for a mile radius around the derailment site was lifted within two hours.