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West Virginia train derailment leaks diesel and oil into one of North America's oldest and federally protected rivers

Environment,West Virginia,Ohio Train Crash,Disaster

From the Left

A train derailment in West Virginia on Wednesday resulted in an "unknown" amount of diesel fuel and oil being released into a portion of one of North America's oldest rivers that's also part of the National Park Service. CSX, a freight train supplier, said the train derailed in Sandstone after it "struck a rockslide."

CSX said in a press release Wednesday that the coal train was empty at the time of the incident, which happened at around 4:51 a.m. All four of the train's locomotives and nine empty coal cars derailed, the company said, citing preliminary information. 

According to West Virginia Emergency Management, it happened about half a mile from the end of a paved road in a "somewhat remote" area.

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