Train derails 32 cars, ‘completely’ blocking roadway in central Georgia, police say
A cleanup effort is underway after a train derailed near the downtown area of a central Georgia city on Monday.
Central Drive in Oconee is “completely” blocked after a Norfolk Southern train traveling westbound left the tracks at 1 a.m., according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The incident sent approximately 32 rail cars spilling onto the roadway.
Photos of the damage show several dozen cars crushed and piled on top of one another. Others were completely overturned.
No injuries were reported, police said.
“Progress is being made by the rapid response from Norfolk Southern on the train derailment in Oconee,” Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran wrote in an update posted on the department’s Facebook page. “Crews are aggressively working to clear the roadway and tracks from the wreckage.”
Authorities said they hope to have the road reopened by early Tuesday morning.
Oconee is about 60 miles east of Macon.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the derailment.
This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 8:11 AM with the headline "Train derails 32 cars, ‘completely’ blocking roadway in central Georgia, police say."