Community reacts to being evacuated after train derailment and chemical spill in Rockcastle County

Rockcastle County, Ky – A train has derailed in Rockcastle County, resulting in a confirmed chemical spill, evacuating people from their homes and prompting Governor Andy Beshear to issue a state of emergency.

Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency following a multiple-car train derailment that occurred in Rockcastle County on Wednesday afternoon.

Read more: https://t.co/F134NQ7xzb pic.twitter.com/mtSrYCWsl8

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 23, 2023

At least 16 cars are off-track after the train derailed north of Livingston, KY around 2:23pm on Wednesday, including two molten sulphur cars that were breached and have lost some of their contents, which are on fire, that’s according to CSX.

Adding that when molten sulphur burns it is known to release sulphur dioxide.

“We don’t know, is it a day? Is it two weeks? Who knows? I have no clue. I guess nobody does right now,” says Cindy Bradley, who was evacuated from her home in Livingston.

Concern and panic continue throughout the area in Rockcastle County, evacuating many from their homes just before Thanksgiving.
Evelyn Gray had just moved in with her boyfriend Michael on Piney Branch Road.

“I’ve been unpacking and working and putting stuff away and I sit down on the couch to rest a little bit and then he comes flying in the house and yells at me and he says, We gotta go we gotta go,” says Gray.

Gray says she immediately concerned by the way her boyfriend returned to their home.

“As soon as he opened the back door to come in the chemical hit me and I had a real bad asthma attack. I do suffer from asthma,” added Gray.

Cindy Bradley lives in Livingston, she recalled the startling experience.

“We were in our homes, it was quiet. The next thing we hear is wham, wham, wham. Three hard knocks. It’s Sandy Singleton, the Commissioner of Livingston, and she says you’ve got to get out. You’ve got to go now. It’s bad. You’re being evacuated,” she says.

Adding that it is a mix of emotions with evacuations coming just hours before thanksgiving also noting some may need more assistance than others.

“I just cooked everything. It’s like we’re having Thanksgiving tomorrow, I guess we’re not. But it was just really scary. Because we don’t know how long this is. This could be tonight. It could be three weeks. Who knows? Our homes are empty. People are scared. There’s elderly people with oxygen. People needed medicine. If they didn’t bring it. It’s just a scary situation all the way around,” she also says.

Temporary shelter was also set up on Wednesday night at Rockcastle County middle school.

Traffic Alert
Rockcastle County: U.S. 25 is currently blocked both directions between the Laurel County line (mile point 0) to Calloway Branch Road (mile point 7) due to a train derailment. Estimated duration is currently unknown. pic.twitter.com/M45xHYL474

— Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 8 (@KYTCDistrict8) November 23, 2023