UPDATE: 5:22 p.m., Tuesday:
“Hazmat personnel have deemed the area safe. There is no threat to the public. All residents may return to their homes and businesses. Further updates will be provided as we have more information. The shelter-in-place and evacuation orders have been lifted,” police said in a statement.
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Original Story:
A freight train derailment on Tuesday afternoon caused emergency officials to issue a shelter-in-place advisory for portions of Bensalem and Middletown townships.
The derailment happened around 2:20 p.m. on a stretch of track between Bristol and Street roads in Bensalem Township.
Credit: Submitted
Police said between five and 10 freight cars left the tracks.
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The shelter-in-place order affected residents and visitors in Bensalem Township, as well as nearby areas in Middletown Township near the water treatment plant along the Neshaminy Creek and near Neshaminy High School.
An emergency alert sent to mobile phones in the area urged individuals to go indoors, bring pets inside, and close all windows and vents.
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“We are currently assessing the contents of the train cars,” Bensalem Township authorities said in a statement.
Sources said two of the derailed cars are marked as carrying hazardous and potentially flammable materials.
The tracks also carries SEPTA’s West Trenton Regional Rail Line.
SEPTA said the West Trenton Line in Lower Bucks County was suspended due to the derailment.
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Police, firefighters, and the Bucks County Special Operations Team, which includes hazardous materials technicians, rushed to the site.
Footage from television helicopters and a drone shot shared with this news organization showed multiple cars derailed.
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Police turned people away from the perimeter, and nearby businesses began dismissing employees early following the incident.
No injuries were immediately reported.
It was not immediately clear how the train derailed.
