Benton Co. Sheriff: Flooding from broken levee causes train derailment
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BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A train derailed Sunday night in Benton County as the result of flooding caused by a broken levee at a nearby pond, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. “I knew it was going to be something pretty big when I heard it last night,” resident Grover Carter said. “It sounded like an explosion at first.” There were no hazardous chemicals involved in the derailment, according to a statement from CSX Transportation. A CSX freight train with one locomotive and 78 empty hopper cars partially derailed from the tracks about five miles west of Camden, according to the company. The locomotive and 14 empty coal cars were derailed. “Apparently a levee broke on a pond on a nearby area, and it came down and there were a couple feet of water over the track, and washed the train engine off the track,” Sheriff Kenny Christopher said. The sheriff’s office received a call just before 10 p.m. about the flooding. While taking information from the caller, the train came into the area and was derailed due to the water, according to the sheriff’s office. CSX railroad employees suffered minor injuries and were transported to Camden General Hospital, according to a release from the sheriff’s office. The employees have since been released, according to the company, and the number of people injured was not specified. The flooding was later found to be caused by a broken levee at a newly built pond, according to the sheriff’s office. CSX crews currently are on site removing the derailed cars, re-railing the locomotive and repairing the track., according to the company. Normal operations are expected to resume by midday Tuesday.
