Fuel Spills After Train Derails in Southwest Miami-Dade

By Jasmine Kripalani, The Miami Herald

Mar. 29–A train derailed late last night causing its diesel fuel supply to leak, said Lt. Elkin Sierra of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

“The train car came across a damaged rail, and it lost some of its contact with the rail, causing the 2,000-gallon diesel tank to shift about a foot or so,” Sierra said.

That impact caused the train’s fuel tank to hit a broken rail puncturing a two-inch hole on its side.

“Our [hazardous material] team plugged the hole and restored traffic,” Sierra said.

It happened at 10:10 p.m. and blocked traffic traveling north and south on Southwest 147th Avenue at 180th Street.

Industrial absorbant was used to solidify the leaked fuel. Members of the hazardous material unit then scooped it up.

The train was transporting two cars filled with scrap metal; the remaining seven cars were empty.

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