Smoke diminishes after derailment, toxic spill in Tenn.

WBIR-TV, Knoxville, Tenn. | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption 5,000 under evacuation after poisonous train derailment Authorities said at least 5,000 people are under a mandatory evacuation following a train derailment and fire in Blount County, Tennessee. It was carrying Acrylonitrile, a flammable and poisonous liquid when it derailed and caught fire.

MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Thousands were under a mandatory evacuation order Thursday after a train derailment and fire in eastern Tennessee's Blount County overnight.

There were no injuries reported in the actual CSX train derailment in Maryvville, but the train was carrying was carrying a hazardous material called acrylonitrile.

The smoke from the fire that began late Wednesday night had stopped rising, said Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell.

Earlier, officials said firefighters had been unable to get close to the burning car because of the heat. Mitchell said there also were concerns that the fumes contained cyanide, a byproduct of burning the chemical, which was leaking from the train car.

Because of the chemical and the rising smoke, at least 5,000 were evacuated within a two-mile radius.

The derailment comes almost two months after an Amtrak train derailed north of Philadelphia. The train had been traveling from Washington to New York when it derailed. At least eight people were killed in the May 12 accident.

The damaged car was carrying liquid acrylonitrile, which officials said is a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes including making plastics. It's flammable and dangerous if inhaled. The Environmental Protection Agency said it is known to cause mucous membrane irritation, headaches, dizziness and nausea.

Fifty-two people went to the hospital for treatment of possible exposure to the release of the chemical, which were mostly manifested in respiratory symptoms, said Josh West, a spokesman for Blount Memorial Hospital. Twenty-five people were admitted to the hospital.

West said no one had suffered potential life-threatening exposure.

Ten first responders received treatment because their eyes were burning, officials said.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Craig Camuso, CSX regional vice president for state government affairs, said authorities didn't know how much acrylonitrile was spewing out and burning or how much remained in the tank.

Mitchell asked residents near the derailment site not to drink well water for now. He said CSX would provide bottled water to residents at a local middle school.

Maryville City Manager Greg McClain added that there's no indication yet whether well water has been affected by the incident.

McClain advised evacuees to make plans to be away from home at least for Thursday night.

"We're doing our very best to get you back to your homes as soon as possible," he said.

Earlier Thursday, the Blount County Sheriff's Office said the evacuation could last 24 to 48 hours.

CSX reimbursed evacuees who needed to stay in hotels Thursday night. Camuso said the company also would provide gift cards for food and essentials for those who need them.

"We will continue to do that for as long as it takes," he said.

The train was traveling from Cincinnati to Waycross, Ga., CSX said.

The CSX train consisted of 57 cars, including 27 cars that were carrying hazardous material: nine were carrying acrylonitrile, 16 had propane and two had asphalt. One of the cars carrying acrylonitrile partially derailed, with the wheels of one end of the car off the track. It then started to burn. Officials do not know what caused the derailment.

EPA officials were at the scene "assisting the state and local responders with air monitoring support and water quality monitoring," according to a statement from the Atlanta office.

The statement also said: "The EPA is also deploying an air monitoring array and will conduct water quality sampling as necessary."

The Federal Railroad Administration said it had investigators and hazmat inspectors at the scene, and would investigate the cause once it's safe.

The National Transportation Safety Board is not investigating the accident, but will monitor it and could send an investigator later, NTSB spokesman Terry Williams said in an email.

In addition to the evacuation of residents, some large businesses have been evacuated as well.

The Red Cross set up a shelter at a high school in Maryville for those affected by the evacuation order. However, authorities said pets are not allowed.

Brittany Parrott said she was awakened by a knock on her apartment door at about 4:30 a.m. Although she didn't hear the derailment, she said she noticed the effects of it as she went outside.

"You could smell it in the air," said Parrott. "I had a headache, I was feeling nauseated and lightheaded, all the symptoms."

Contributing: The Associated Press.