Two workers contracted by Union Pacific were injured Friday by a hazardous chemical from derailed train cars in Tempe.
Two of the train cars that derailed on Wednesday contained cyclohexanone, a toxic and flammable chemical, the city of Tempe said in a Friday statement. The workers were injured as they were transferring the chemical to other train cars so that damaged cars can be disassembled and removed from the area.
“The worker who had the liquid splash onto his face is a 50-year-old male who was transported to a local burn unit with serious but non-life threatening injuries," said Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Assistant Chief Andrea Glass.
She said the liquid splashed on the second worker’s chest. He received on-site treatment and declined transportation to the hospital for further evaluation.
The liquid also splashed onto a dirt area when the workers disconnected a hose," Glass said.
“The chemical spill has been contained," she said. "The leak has stopped. Like I said, less than 10 gallons have been disbursed onto that soil below.”
She said the state Department of Environmental Quality is monitoring the situation since the vapors from the chemical can ignite at 111 degrees.
