A train collided with a truck carrying hydrochloric acid in western Pennsylvania, resulting in injuries and home evacuations after thousands of gallons of the corrosive chemical spilled across the ground, Fox News reported.
The incident took place at midmorning on Tuesday in Centerville, located near Pittsburgh, when a truck carrying 4,400 gallons of hydrochloric acid attempted to cross over the tracks and was rammed by the train and dragged about 100 yards, the Washington County Observer-Reporter noted.
The truck driver was airlifted to a hospital, and although the extent of his injuries is unclear, Washington County Public Safety Director Jeff Yates noted that the man had suffered "significant trauma."
The CSX train's engineer and conductor were also taken to a hospital for further evaluation while eight others were treated at the scene.
Several houses were evacuated, and Governor Tom Wolf announced that emergency services were working to ensure the safety of residents in the area.
According to a statement, county emergency personnel were going door-to-door in neighborhoods impacted by the accident to facilitate any necessary evacuations.
Don Lloyd, a truck driver who was working nearby when the collision happened, recalled how he heard the crash and then smelled the acid in the air.
Grabbing an oxygen mask, he rushed to the scene to try and help the truck driver.
"I grabbed my safety gear and ran to check on the driver," he said, according to WPXI-TV. "I took my respirator off and handed it to him. Unfortunately, he dropped it; we had to run and get him another one."
East Bethlehem Fire Chief Mark Giovanelli said that the area had been decontaminated and that the truck and train wreckage was removed, according to KDKA-TV.
Displaced residents were gradually allowed to start moving back into their homes late Tuesday night.
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