WILLARD, Ohio -- Hundreds of homes in northern Ohio were evacuated Wednesday after a railcar, possibly damaged in a derailment, leaked flammable liquid in a rail yard. No injuries were reported.

According to CBS affiliate WTOL-TV in Toledo, Ohio, a CSX spokesperson says the late Tuesday four-car derailment in Willard, some 65 miles southwest of Cleveland, caused a 4-inch puncture in the car.

It was carrying styrene monomer, a chemical used in plastic and rubber that's highly flammable and could cause respiratory damage. The car spilled nearly all of its 30,000 gallon load.

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People living with a half mile of the scene were told to evacuate to the local high school or motels.

CSX says the leak has been stopped but its personnel were still working with local police and firefighters to clean up its remnants and investigate the cause of the derailment.



Officials warned that the cleanup could take a while, possibly into Thanksgiving Day, and it wasn't clear when evacuated residents might be allowed to return.

The cause of the derailment also was unclear, though Sease said an investigation into that was underway as cleanup continued.