Call of the Quarter
Spring 1998

On February 6th, 1998, at 5:45 a.m., the Glasgow Life Saving and First Aid Crew responded to Burlington, a local industrial business, for two males who were involved in a train derailment. The derailment occurred ¾ of a mile north on the Norfolk-Southern railroad track.

The two engineers climbed out of the window (Above the 6075) and waded to shore.

Upon arrival to Burlington, we were met by the company nurse who directed us to the two men sitting inside the clinic. Both men stated that they were fine, just shaken up. An assessment revealed that they had several small lacerations and abrasions on and about their face and arms. Both refused to be transported to Stonewall Jackson Hospital for treatment.

As one crew was responding to Burlington, another was responding to the scene of the derailment. Upon their arrival, they found no one on scene that was injured, however, upon request of the Glasgow Fire Department, they stood by. A sixty-foot portion of the track was washed away due to the heavy rains that had fallen for the past three days.

A 20-foot segment of the track was washed away during the rains. A work crew surveys the damage.

The locomotive was traveling at 30 MPH during the run. The speed limit for this track was 50 MPH. "If the engineers were traveling at the higher rate of speed, the damage could have been much worse.", Richard Spangler, Chief of the Glasgow Fire Department, stated. Agents from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture were on hand to determine the ecological impact of the accident. A minimal amount of diesel fuel leaked out, but due to the rapid placement of booms, all spills were contained. One locomotive engine was partially submerged beneath the frigid waters. Three other cars were derailed as well.

Other cars were damaged in the accident. A rail worker surveys the damage to them.

Fortunately, the three cars, used for transporting industrial chemicals, were empty at the time of the accident. Later that day, we were released by Chief Spangler and returned back to the station, without incident.

--  Written By:    William Wheeler