Freight train derails near Yekaterinburg, tanker cars catch fire
Twenty cars of a freight train left the tracks in Russia's Sverdlovsk region, and seven tank cars caught fire. Residents have been told to stay indoors while Rospotrebnadzor checks the air.
A freight train derailed on the Reshety–Sedelnikovo section of railway in Russia's Sverdlovsk region, near the city of Yekaterinburg. Twenty cars left the tracks and seven tank cars caught fire. The Russian state news agency TASS reported the incident, citing the regional branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry.
According to the ministry's regional office, the blaze has been contained to an area of 1,500 square meters. It did not say what the burning tank cars were carrying.
Advice to residents
People living in nearby homes were advised to stay indoors or, if that is not possible, to wear masks and respirators. The Yekaterinburg-based outlet E1 reports that residents were also asked to keep windows closed, do wet cleaning more often, drink more fluids, and rinse their eyes, nose and throat.
Air checks and cause
The regional office of Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer protection and public health watchdog, said it would inspect air quality for pollutants characteristic of this type of fire.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation. No official explanation had been given at the time of publication.
