At 1.30 a.m. July 25 a train carrying millions of gallons of ethanol derailed near Spartanburg.
The train was pulling 90 black tank cars filled with about two million gallons of ethanol, more than enough to fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools. Fortunately although the tankers landed upside down, the train was moving slowly and none of the cars punctured.
The wreck has highlighted a safety debate that’s arisen as the amount of crude oil and ethanol the nation transports by rail has increased dramatically with the energy boom.
Transportation safety officials say that trains are transporting higher amounts of crude oil and ethanol on trains that can stretch up to a mile long. They say that the tank cars are not thick enough to prevent punctures and spills when they are involved in accidents, and that the trains are driving too fast through urban areas.
Last July, a train operator didn’t brake enough when a 72-car oil train took a curve in the Quebec city of Lac Megantic, leading to the derailment of the train and a massive explosion which killed 47 people and destroyed the village center.
Trains carrying large quantities of ethanol travel through cities and towns in the Upstate more than 150 times every year, through the heart of Spartanburg and Greenville and through smaller towns like Williamston and Pelzer.
If you, or someone you know, have been injured in a serious car accident in South Carolina, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Please contact us today at (864) 280-7660 or contact us online, so we can schedule your free initial consultation and get you on you the financial compensation you deserve.
