Train Derailment in Kentucky

Cindy Bradley had just finished cooking for Thanksgiving when an official knocking loudly urged her to leave her small Kentucky home as soon as possible because a train had derailed, catching fire and spilling chemicals.

She ended up at Rockcastle County Middle School in Livingston — unsure what was next as at least two train cars containing potentially harmful chemicals continued to burn Thursday.

"She says, 'You're evacuated, there's 12 to 14 cars in the river, you have to get out of here,'" Livingston resident Cindy Bradley told CBS affiliate WKYT-TV from the emergency shelter. "We said, 'What about Thanksgiving?'"

The CSX train derailed around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday near Livingston, a remote town with about 200 people in Rockcastle County.

Two of the 16 cars that derailed carried molten sulfur, which caught fire after the cars were breached, CSX said in a statement. One member of the two-person train crew was treated at the scene for minor injuries, according to WKYT, and Kentucky emergency management officials said no one was hospitalized.

Livingston resident Linda Todd told WKYT that she was "freaking out" about being told to leave while in the middle of preparing Thanksgiving dinner.

"We're in the midst of preparing our Thanksgiving feast, with turkeys in the oven, and we can't just leave," Todd exclaimed. 

The fire was still being battled by crews on Thursday morning, with the company

Sulfur dioxide, according to the Environmental Protection Agency website, can lead to respiratory issues, depending on the concentration and duration of exposure. The gas is typically generated from the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and other industrial processes, as stated by the EPA. The American Lung Association indicated that long-term exposure to these chemicals can be particularly dangerous for children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency in the county, ensuring that the state will provide all necessary assistance to the crews. He urged the public to consider the emergency workers and individuals who are unable to spend Thanksgiving at home. 

"Please keep them in your thoughts and hope for a resolution that allows them to return to their homes. We extend our gratitude to all the brave individuals on the front lines protecting our community," expressed the governor in a statement released on Thursday.

CSX has made a commitment to cover all expenses for those required to evacuate, including a Thanksgiving dinner. According to emergency officials interviewed by WKYT, there is currently no confirmation regarding when the evacuation order will be lifted.