Springfield – Update @ 11:40 am (March 5):
Clark County officials held a press conference detailing the contents of the train cars, but assured that there was no danger to public health.
After inspection, four tankers were identified with hazardous materials. Two tankers contained residual amounts of diesel exhaust fluid, while the other two contained residual amounts of polyacrylamide aqueous solution.
Officials said no leaks had been detected and there was no risk to public health, although the site remained “active”.
Another press conference was scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Clark County Fairgrounds Youth Building on South Charleston Pike.
NewsCenter 7 will be on the scene to find out more about the incident and what exactly happened. We’ll update you as we learn more.
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Update @ 1:05 am (March 5):
Clark County officials have called a press conference at 1:20 a.m. to provide updates on the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
This story will be updated with details as they are published.
Update @ 11:47 pm
Clark County officials have not yet announced when they will release an update on what happened after Saturday’s Norfolk Southern train derailment in Springfield.
>>PHOTOS: Drone footage shows train derailment near Clark County Fairgrounds
No injuries were reported.
A Norfolk Southern spokesman said no hazardous materials were “involved” in the derailment.
This story will continue to be updated as we learn more.
UPDATE @ 10 PM:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed he was in contact with federal officials, including President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, after Saturday’s Norfolk Southern train derailment in Springfield.
>>PHOTOS: Drone footage shows train derailment near Clark County Fairgrounds
DeWine said several state agencies were all on the scene, including the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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>>Power outages in Clark County following train derailment
“We do not believe hazardous materials were involved,” Devine said in a social media post.
This story will continue to be updated as we learn more.
UPDATE @ 9:30 PM:
A news conference to provide updates on Saturday’s train derailment in Springfield is not expected until after 11:30 p.m., a Clark County spokeswoman told the NewsCenter 7 crew.
About 20 cars on the Norfolk Southern train derailed near the State Route 41 crossing north of the Clark County Fairgrounds around 5 p.m.
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No injuries were reported. A Norfolk Southern spokesman said no hazardous materials were “involved” in the derailment.
>>Power outages in Clark County following train derailment
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a social media post that he had been notified after the derailment and was extending federal support to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
“I was notified by FRA leadership and spoke with Governor DeWine to offer our support after today’s train derailment in Clark County, Ohio. “No hazardous materials have been released, but we are continuing to monitor and FRA personnel are on the way,” Buttigieg said.
We will continue to update this story as we learn more.
Update @ 8:20 pm:
About 20 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed near the Clark County Fairgrounds Saturday night, although hazardous materials were “not involved,” a railroad spokeswoman said.
“This evening, approximately 20 cars of a southbound 212-car Norfolk Southern train derailed near Springfield, Ohio. No hazardous materials were involved and no injuries were reported. Our crews are heading to the site to begin cleanup operations,” the spokesperson said in a statement to NewsCenter 7 Saturday night.
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People living within 1,000 feet of the derailment, which happened near state Route 41 and Gateway Drive, are sheltering in place.
One of its trains hauling hazardous materials that derailed in Ohio in eastern Palestine in early February has come under major regional and national scrutiny in recent weeks.
>>Related: Farmers worry about soil after train derailment in East Palestine
We have several teams on the scene and will continue to update this page as we learn more.
Update @7:05 pm
The Clark County Emergency Management Agency is asking residents within 1,000 feet of a derailment in Clark County to take shelter. Clark County Government Facebook page.
Residents in the area of State Route 41 near the Prime Ohio Business Park are taking a high-alert shelter-in-place.
Residents are asked to avoid the area of State Route 41 and find alternate routes.
We will continue to provide updates.
The opening story:
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that deputies are at the scene of a train derailment Saturday afternoon.
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Deputies and medics responded to the area of State Route 41 and Gateway Boulevard near the Clark County Fairgrounds around 5 p.m.
Dispatchers confirmed to NewsCenter 7 that they were on the scene but no other information was available at this time.
Video sent by a NewsCenter 7 viewer shows two boxcars derail.
Hazmat crews are confirmed to be on the scene, according to NewsCenter 7’s Taylor Robertson.
The State Highway Patrol and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office are also on the scene.
We have a news team and will provide regular updates.
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