Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Tampa, Florida -- The main portion of the Port of Tampa is closed and may stay blocked off for much of the day after a train derailed there early Thursday morning.

PHOTOS: Train derailment at the Port of Tampa

The train was coming into the port at 1 a.m. when it left the tracks, sending 15 rail cars onto their sides, according to Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Lonnie Benniefield.

Responders found three of the cars leaking ethanol, a flammable liquid that's often mixed with gasoline to fuel cars and trucks. When it's shipped by rail, ethanol is usually stored in a form that is more flammable than gasoline.

Hazmat-trained firefighters have laid down a coating of firefighting foam on top of the spill to keep it from catching fire.

The toppled train is blocking the main entrance to the Port of Tampa on Maritime Boulevard, and that may be the case for several hours.

Benniefield said equipment to place the rail cars back on the tracks is being sent from Atlanta to Tampa by railroad company CSX; righting the entire train could take until late Thursday night or some time Friday morning.

No one was hurt in the train derailment. Benniefield said it's not clear yet why the train jumped the tracks. CSX and government agencies are expected to investigate the cause.

Typically, ethanol breaks down within a few weeks in the environment, so the impact to the soil and groundwater may be limited and not serious.

cabman701 wrote:Interesting pics and video on that TV station website.

Looks like the right side signal is leaning forward, no doubt from the train hitting it as it was tipping. Looks like both signals got quite a dousing of foam from the fire department as well... but yet they continue to flash on.