Thursday, January 06, 2005 (Washington, DC)

In response to the train derailment and hazardous materials spill involving a Norfolk Southern freight train in Aiken, SC, early this morning, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta and I have dispatched a veteran team of three senior safety experts from the Federal Railroad Administration to the incident scene. They will join five FRA safety inspectors and one operations specialist already on site. The purpose of this nine-member team will be twofold. First, they will assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its investigation by providing expertise critical to its review of circumstances surrounding the crash. In addition, the team, which includes the Department’s top railroad hazardous materials expert, will conduct a separate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the breach of at least one chlorine tank car to determine precisely how the derailment led to the release of chlorine gas into the area. We are concerned about the nature of the incident and the tragic loss of life and are committed to a thorough review in order to ensure the safe operation of the railroad and the well-being of residents living in the Aiken community.