SALLISAW, Ok — Officials say a train derailment in Sequoyah County prompting evacuations Sunday was likely caused by heavy rains.
“We think it probably washed out underneath the tracks,” Sequoyah County Emergency management director Steve Rutherford confirmed.
10 cars and two engines went off the rails Sunday morning on Central High Road east of Sallisaw and north of Highway 64. Several of the cars were filled with highly flammable liquid propane, leading to the evacuation of homes and businesses nearby.
The two engineers on-board escaped without being hurt and officials say there was no other damage. Central Public Schools is closed Monday due to the train derailment and heavy rainfall. Union-Pacific believes it will take several days to clean up the mess.
Mark Walters lives near the accident. “I’m 49-years-old and I’ve never seen anything like this,” he told us.