Update:
The shelter-in-place was lifted after 2 p.m. U.S. Route 23 is also back open.
Buford Hurley is Greenup County’s public safety director. He says no injuries were reported during the shelter-in-place.
“As far as I know, we had no issues with any one of the folks that lived in the houses that we had shelter in place. We appreciate them cooperating with us," he said.
Hurley says hazmat crews from CSX, the Ashland Marathon Refinery and the Ashland Fire Department worked to plug the leak after a disk ruptured.
“As they worked together, they were able to go inside, and then had to put a cap over top of that, where that leak was on top, because it was coming from the top of the rail car," he said.
Hurley says the ammonia was transferred to another container after the leak was sealed.
Original story:
Greenup County emergency officials have ordered some residents to shelter in place after a train’s railcar leaked Tuesday morning.
A CSX car in their Flatwoods lot is leaking ammonia, which can be fatal in large amounts.
The shelter-in-place is mostly near the lot, including the area of Meade Street and 4th street. Greenup County Public Safety says it’s a precautionary measure.
Parts of US Route 23 are closed in the meantime, and traffic is being diverted through Flatwoods.
Hazmat teams have been deployed and are working to fix the leak. The shelter-in-place is still active as of 11:30 this morning.
