Scotland - train crash and fire

[John Ashworth]

Freight train fire under control
BBC
Page last updated at 14:14 GMT, Tuesday, 27 January 2009


A blaze which broke out on a derailed freight train carrying kerosene and diesel has been brought under control.

Flames were seen shooting 50ft high after the crash, south of Stewarton, East Ayrshire, at about 0615 GMT.

Six of the 10 wagons came off the rails and some caught fire. No-one was reported to have been injured.

The train hit a pylon while crossing a bridge, both of which have collapsed. Power lines have come down and the nearby A735 was closed.

Ch Sup Martyn Ripley, of British Transport Police, said: "No injuries have been reported and the train driver has now left the scene.

"Six wagons from the 10 wagon train, travelling from Mossend to Riccarton have overturned and a bridge has collapsed. The locomotive remained upright.

"The train is operated by D B Schenker and was carrying a mixture of kerosene and diesel.

"Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service is on the scene alongside our officers. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is also on scene."

Ch Sup Ripley said it was "too early" to give any causes for the crash.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said it had "specialist officers" on site who would be granted full access once the initial emergency response had been completed.

John Dicks, who lives about a mile away from the rail line, said: "The fire is raging. There are flames 50ft in the air.

"There is pitch black smoke blowing over the town."

Rail disruption

The train was travelling between Mossend in Lanarkshire and Riccarton near Kilmarnock when the incident happened.

Network Rail said disruption was likely to go on for much of the day.

Local train services between Barrhead in East Renfrewshire and Kilmarnock were stopped and alternative arrangements put in place for travellers.

Buses were replacing trains between Barrhead and Kilmarnock.

The Glasgow to Carlisle service was running via Barassie.

A spokesman for BP rail cars said: "The wagons were carrying heating oil and diesel from the Grangemouth refinery to a Scottish Fuels terminal in Kilmarnock."

Scottish Power said up to 100 homes in the Kilmaurs area of Ayrshire had lost electricity as a result of the crash.

A spokesman confirmed that some power lines had been damaged.

He said: "Two 11KV lines appear to have been affected. As a precaution we have turned off two circuits.

"They are not high transmission lines and fewer than 100 homes have been affected in the Kilmaurs area.

"Our staff have been on site since 0800 GMT and they are currently working in conjunction with the fire brigade."

[Nathan Berelowitz]

Why did the pylon cross the bridge in the first place? Especially in the path of an oncoming train. I tell you, the infrastructure of today!!