Train derailment in Matteson, Illinois: 25 cars derail near Main Street; Evacuation order lifted as officials say no danger to public

MATTESON, Ill. (WLS) — Our coverage of this story has been moved here.

A train derailed Thursday morning in south suburban Matteson, a village spokesman said.

Many people who had been asked to evacuate earlier in the day were back home Thursday evening as cleanup work began.

Matteson firefighters said about 25 cars of the train derailed just after 10:30 a.m. in the area of ​​21740 Main St.

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The spokesperson said the train involved belonged to the Canadian National Railway Company.

“It was louder than usual and longer than usual,” said Cassandra Montgomery, an evacuee from Matteson. “I heard the loudest banging. When you see the police going down the street, telling people to evacuate, the first thing you think is, ‘Oh my God!’ When they say chemical spills.”

No injuries were immediately reported, but authorities examined a leaking train car. The emergency response was a precautionary measure while crews quickly brought the leak under control.

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The village spokesman said a white powdery substance was tested by CN, which said it was not dangerous. A fire official said it was plastic pellets.

“When this chemical reaches a certain temperature, it simply evaporates into the air. We don’t have any measurements or hazards in the air,” said Steven DeJong, regional hazardous materials specialist with the Homewood Fire Department.

Canadian National Railway said there was no threat to public safety. The cause of the derailment is currently under investigation.

“Two cars containing liquefied petroleum gas residue released a limited amount of product, but the product was contained,” reads a statement from Canadian National Railway Company. “Other cars that derailed but did not release any product included non-dangerous goods, caustic soda and cars containing LPG residue. The precautionary evacuation that was initially initiated has since been lifted, with the exception of properties immediately adjacent to the site.”

In a Facebook post, the village of Richton Park said all hazardous materials had been flown off the site.

“We have the situation under control and you can return home safely,” said Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin.

For more than a decade, ABC 7's investigative team has been investigating safety issues surrounding dangerous rail freight.

Leaders in Chicago and its suburbs continue to pressure federal regulators to adopt new rules to protect the public.

The I-Team's analysis of federal data shows 231 trains have derailed, including 61 in Cook County alone, since the start of 2022. Seven people have been injured in those derailments.

Some Matteson residents were initially asked to evacuate Thursday morning as a precaution, but that order was lifted at 1:30 p.m.

“I said, 'Wow! It's like my backyard,'” resident Glenn Kirshaw said. “He went, 'Bam!' , asking people to evacuate.

Main Street, from 218th Street to 217th Street, will remain closed while CN works to clear the area.

“I was a little stunned, shocked that it happened like that and that you had to leave,” Kirshaw said. “When the police come down your street and tell you that you have to leave, that it's an emergency, you say to yourself: 'Oh! Something serious is happening.' »

“There is no immediate danger to the public, but we encourage everyone to stay clear of the area to allow crews to conduct the cleanup process safely and effectively,” officials said. .

A CN spokesperson said crews were responding to the incident. He said about 25 wagons carrying “various substances” were derailed.

Inbound and outbound Metra Electric trains from Chicago to University Park were affected for a few hours, but were allowed to pass through the area around 1:30 p.m.

Some residents in the area said they had neither heard nor felt the derailment, and were therefore shocked when police arrived at their door, telling them they had to leave.

Mayor Chalmers-Currin said several Illinois officials, including Gov. JB Pritzker, reached out after hearing about the derailment.

It is unclear how long it will take to clean up the crash site.

Local authorities also continue to investigate the cause of the derailment. Matteson police and firefighters are assisting CN in ensuring safety and mitigating the effects of the derailment.