Pool Repair in Jedburg, SC

SUMMERVILLE — A train derailment the morning of Jan. 10 prompted fears of a potential toxic chemical spill and led authorities to temporarily issue a shelter-in-place directive, which was then lifted by mid-afternoon.

A Norfolk Southern train derailed at 9:51 a.m. at 2450 West 5th North St., the local name for U.S. Highway 78, near industrial truck manufacturer KION North America’s Summerville plant.

Authorities shut down Highway 78 on the northern end of town, from Industrial Road to Jedburg Road. Dorchester County Fire Chief Tres Atkinson said that hazmat teams from Norfolk Southern and around the region assessed the scene.

“We have determined that there's no immediate danger to the public other than immediate areas that we’ll be working to mitigate the cars that have come off the track,” he said.

Atkinson said the scene was turned over to Norfolk Southern for remediation and asked area residents to “give those people room to work and do their job and get actual scene cleaned up.”

He noted that the fire department is “maintaining a presence on scene with Norfolk Southern” in case of an emergency.

Though the shelter ordered lifted, officials encouraged residents to avoid the area. Highway 78 will “remain closed for the duration of the incident,” a Facebook post from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office said.

Atkinson said the highway would remain closed overnight and that Norfolk Southern had estimated the cleanup would be done “sometime in the morning” Jan. 11.

Kasandra Jenkins, a Norfolk Southern spokesperson, said a tank car involved in the derailment carries chlorobenzene, a toxic chemical, but was empty.

Mayor Russ Touchberry posted a video to the town’s Facebook page informing residents of the derailment and cautioning them to avoid the area. He told the Summerville Journal Scene, a Post and Courier affiliate paper, that he was told the train was “carrying a small amount” of chlorobenzene and there was “potential” for a leak, which is why the shelter-in-place was issued.

Chlorobenzene, a flammable liquid, is widely used as a solvent, degreaser and chemical intermediate in producing dyes, pharmaceuticals and pesticides. It affects the central nervous system with prolonged exposure.

Sheriff’s office spokesperson Steven Wright said Highway 78 will reopen once the impacted railroad tracks reopen. Until then, he said, deputies will be patrolling the area to make sure nobody gets too close to the scene.

“We all have that curiosity sense, but it really delays the process if there are citizens trying to see what's going on,” Wright said. “So, we just encourage people to stay away through the area until it is clear and everything's back up.”

Many of the industrial businesses in the area are regularly closed on Saturdays. Dorchester Paws, which is down the road from the derailment site, operated normally. Adoption Supervisor Jimmie Tedder said that while there wasn't a major impact, animals were kept inside most of the day as a precaution.

When Joslyn Scahill, an office manager at Inspire Gymnastics on Industrial Road, spoke to The Post and Courier around 4 p.m., the sound of train horns could be heard through the phone.

"Did you hear that? I guess it's moving again," Scahill said.

The derailment happened a mile-and-a-half away from the gym. Classes were happening at the time as road closures made getting in and out of the area more difficult.

"It was scary when everyone's phones went off because of the emergency alert," Scahill said. "It said to shelter in place because of an active incident. A lot runs through your mind when you read that. You think of active shooter situations, not a train derailment."

County spokesperson Erin Pomrenke told The Post and Courier that officials aim to “provide the most relevant, accurate information to residents, especially in situations with public safety concerns.” She noted that after the initial alert went out, more updates were posted on the county’s social media pages and provided to media outlets.

“After incidents occur, such as today’s incident, the County assesses approaches to continue to provide our residents with quality service and communication,” she said.

Recent history of train derailments

Norfolk Southern’s most-famous train derailment was Feb. 3, 2023, near East Palestine, Ohio. That incident involved 38 derailed cars. The train was carrying toxic chemicals and caught fire. Residents within a one-mile radius were evacuated. Norfolk Southern had to remove more than 167,000 tons of soil and more than 39 million gallons of water from the site due to pollution from the derailment.

A lawsuit filed February 2025 claims that seven residents, including a baby, died as a result of the toxic disaster. The National Transportation Safety Board blamed a defective wheel bearing for the accident.

A 2023 Federal Railroad Administration examination of Norfolk Southern’s safety record over 10 years documented 163 derailments and an average of two hazardous material leaks per year.

For example, a Norfolk Southern train accident in Rossville, Tenn., train yard released about 500 gallons of maelic anhydride, a chemical that can damage eyes and the respiratory tract. The report said that in 2018, a 16-car Norfolk Southern derailment in Loudonville, Ohio, released 30,000 gallons of hazardous liquified petroleum gas into the air.

Norfolk Southern had two train derailments last year.

In February, 20 cars derailed near Attica, Ohio, and leaked alcohol and ethanol, though the local sheriff’s office said there was no public danger. In August, about 10 Norfolk Southern cars derailed near Harrisburg, Pa. The city’s fire chief said there were no hazmat dangers and no injuries.

The Federal Railroad Administration has warned the industry about the dangers of a trend toward smaller crews and longer trains. The latter cause more wear on tracks and are more difficult for a crew to manage.

On Jan. 9, about 12 cars from a Union Pacific train derailed near the Texas-Louisiana border. News organizations report there were no HAZMAT spills.

A shelter-in-place order was issued for South Carolina residents within a 1.5-mile radius after a train derailment triggered a hazmat response amid fears of a possible chemical spill.

The derailment occurred around 9.50am at 2450 West 5th North Street, the local designation for US Highway 78, near the KION North America plant in Summerville.

Several train cars left the tracks, triggering a hazmat alert, the closure of Highway 78 between Jedburg Road and Industrial Road, and a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents.

Officials initially identified one of the derailed cars as a tank designed to carry chlorobenzene, a flammable industrial chemical that can be harmful if inhaled, raising concerns about a possible airborne release.

The National Institutes of Health describes the chemical as a colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive almond-like odor.

Prolonged exposure can affect the central nervous system and respiratory tract, potentially causing breathing difficulties, dizziness, and neurological symptoms.

State Senator Tom Fernandez warned on Facebook that if you smell chlorine 'like a pool,' you should get inside immediately and call 911, especially if you begin to cough, feel chest tightness, or feel your eyes burning.

Hazmat teams from Norfolk Southern and surrounding agencies rushed to the scene to assess the risk.

Authorities later confirmed the tank car was empty at the time of the derailment and said no chemical leak occurred.

Dorchester County Fire Chief Tres Atkinson said there was 'no immediate danger to the public,' aside from the immediate area where crews were working to secure the derailed cars.

'We have determined that there's no immediate danger to the public other than immediate areas that we'll be working to mitigate the cars that have come off the track,' Atkinson said.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 2.15pm.

Officials urged residents to avoid the area or use alternate routes as cleanup continued.

Highway 78 is expected to remain closed overnight and into Sunday morning while Norfolk Southern carries out remediation efforts.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

No injuries were reported.