A Norfolk Southern train derailed Thursday in Alabama, hours before company CEO Alan Shaw faced lawmakers over the Feb, 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Thursday’s derailment took place in Calhoun County around 6:45 a.m. in the Quad Cities area of White Plains, Alabama, according to the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.
“Approximately 30 cars derailed. There are no injuries and no reports of leaks of hazmat,” read the statement from the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency. “Norfolk Southern has responded and is working closely with us,” said the statement. “Norfolk Southern has their cleanup crew on site and there is no estimation on how long it will take.”
It is unclear what caused the derailment. Norfolk Southern said the train left from Atlanta and was headed to Meridian, Mississippi. Additional details will be provided at a Thursday afternoon news conference.
As he faced tough questions from lawmakers about the Ohio train derailment, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw was also asked about yet another one of his company’s trains derailing on Thursday morning.
“Mr. Shaw, the news is reporting that there’s just been a significant derailment in Alabama of one of your trains. I certainly hope that all of your team and anybody in the vicinity is safe and well,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told Shaw in a congressional hearing Thursday. “You may need to look into that.”
Shaw did not respond to those comments, but Norfolk Southern spokesman Thomas Crosson said that Shaw was already aware of the latest derailment.
Shaw apologized over the February 3 derailment and crash of dozens of rail cars that spilled toxic and flammable chemicals like vinyl chloride and benzene in East Palestine, Ohio.
“I’m terribly sorry for the impact this derailment has had on the folks of that community,” Shaw told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “It is clear the safety mechanisms in place were not enough,” he said.
Norfolk Southern has since come under deep criticism for avoiding investing in safety mechanisms that could have prevented the accident while funneling greater profits to shareholders.
Additionally, the US National Transportation Safety Board announced a special probe on Tuesday into the railroad’s safety record after a second derailment in a month and the third workplace death of a Norfolk Southern employee since December 2021.
The agency said it would investigate the railway’s organization and safety culture, “given the number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents.”
