Eight freight train cars derail in Woodbridge
Mayor critiques emergency response from Conrail, demands investigation
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer

WOODBRIDGE - After the derailment of eight freight train cars in the vicinity of Carteret Avenue that resulted in the evacuation of approximately 100 residents for roughly two and a half hours on Sunday, Mayor John E. McCormac announced that he has requested an immediate and official investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into the circumstances surrounding the derailment.

In a letter addressed to Mark V. Rosenker, chairman of the NTSB in Washington, D.C., and which was also sent to New Jersey Congressman Albio Sires (D-13), McCormac requested an investigation due to the "outright" refusal of Conrail authorities at the scene to provide emergency response, fire department and hazardous materials teams, and/or police with a copy of, or access to, the Material Safety Data Sheets and train manifest documents.

Only after 45 to 50 minutes into the on-scene response, McCormac said, the train engineer acquiesced under the threat of arrest to "allow" Woodbridge authorities a visual review of the Material Safety Data Sheets.

"While our emergency responders initiated all the appropriate protocols given the limited information available - and no loss of life resulted - the actions of Conrail authorities was without cause or justification," wrote McCormac. "The emergency response community is deeply troubled by Conrail's lack of apparent concern and, more importantly, concerned about the ability to timely obtain information in the event of a future derailment."

The mayor added that without the Material Safety Data Sheets, the emergency responders were greatly hampered in their deployment of appropriate emergency response equipment and, more importantly, public safety was jeopardized in the wake of the evacuation.

John Enright, spokesperson for Conrail, said Conrail officials have not seen the letter sent by McCormac, but they have knowledge that a letter has been sent to the NTSB.

"Since we haven't seen the letter, we do not have comment at this time," he said. "We don't know if an investigation will take place, but when asked, we will respond."

Enright added that there was no release sent out because all the cars were empty and no injuries were reported.

Emergency personnel were dispatched to the derailment at approximately 4:57 p.m. on May 11, officials said.

The eight derailed cars, which were headed to the Oak Island rail yard in Newark, included five empty boxcars and three tanker cars carrying vinyl acetate, which Walter Hanks, director of the township Office of Emergency Management, said was a highly flammable substance.

McCormac said because of Conrail's refusal to provide the Material Safety Data Sheets in a timely matter, responding emergency hazardous materials experts were unsure of the type, nature and contents of the overturned tank cars and whether the cars were breeched and leaking potentially toxic and/or combustible materials into the environment.

Hanks, who said emergency personnel were able to read the placard information on the car indicating to them that the car was carrying vinyl acetate, said the decision to evacuate the 40 homes containing approximately 100 people was due to the overturned cars containing vinyl acetate.

"The cars looked unstable and we immediately made the decision to evacuate the residents," he said.

The 100 residents were immediately evacuated to Port Reading School No. 9 on Turner Street, authorities said.

Hanks along with other members of the Township Office of Emergency Management, Conrail and Norfolk Southern officials, Middlesex County Haz-Mat, members of the Port Reading Fire Department, members of the Woodbridge Police Department, members of the Woodbridge Auxiliary Police Department, members of the Port Reading First Aid Squad, members of the Woodbridge Civilian Emergency Response Team, mutual aid from surrounding townships, and members of the Carteret Office of Emergency Management were at the scene until about 11 p.m.

"We closed the local streets and Port Reading Avenue for two hours," he said. "When it was determined there was no leaking from the cars containing vinyl acetate, we allowed the residents to return to their homes, which was around 7:30 p.m."

Hanks said no injuries were reported and most of the emergency personnel left the scene around 11 p.m. The scene was not entirely cleared until 9:30 a.m. May 12.

Along with the formal investigation by the NTSB, township officials are also demanding that Conrail, and/or any other responsible parties, provide full reimbursement to the township, the Borough of Carteret, the County of Middlesex and any and all other responding emergency response teams, fire departments and police for costs incurred in responding to the derailment.