Plumes of black smoke could be seen soaring into the sky beneath a path of flames on movie and visuals from the website of the derailment, where by component of the bridge collapsed.
The coach was hauling dangerous material, in accordance to the Tempe Fire Division.
Tempe Law enforcement Section Police Chief Sylvia Moir urged inhabitants by means of Twitter to keep away from the scene, which she explained as quite hazardous.
The freight educate, headed to Phoenix from Tucson, derailed about 6:15 a.m. nearby time, Union Pacific spokesman Tim McMahan explained in a statement.
Eight to 10 coach cars and trucks were on hearth, in accordance to McMahan.
The south side of the bridge collapsed, sending rail autos into an empty park underneath, the statement claimed. The bridge had its once-a-year inspection on July 9.
One person was taken care of for smoke inhalation, McMahan explained. The practice crew was not hurt.
McMahan stated the tank cars and trucks have been not described leaking, and not concerned in the fire.
Hearth division spokesman Brandon Siebert said officers had been “erring on the aspect of caution” and trying to keep firefighters and bystanders “as considerably absent as achievable” until eventually they know much more about the harmful material on the teach.
The operator is protected and helping hazmat technicians, according to Siebert.
The trigger of the derailment is beneath investigation.
“It is probable the derailment led to the partial bridge collapse but never know that for positive at this time,” Siebert explained.
Nearly 100 firefighters from Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa and Scottsdale responded to the scene, according to Siebert.
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