A railway employee smelled the acid at the train station in St. Johann im Pongau on Saturday evening and raised the alarm. More than 100 emergency services were dispatched. Another biting sard escaped from a freight wagon.
It has happened again: methyl acrylate, a highly flammable and highly irritating liquid, escaped from a train car at St. Johann im Pongau train station around 8 p.m. on Saturday evening. In mid-May, the same poison escaped from a train car – at which time some residents had to be hospitalized due to breathing difficulties. This time, the incident was less serious because, according to the fire service, significantly less of the toxic substance escaped than in May. A railroad worker noticed the “signature smell” and raised the alarm, explains firefighter Stefan Hafner.
About 100 emergency services from three fire departments rushed to the station and evacuated the area. As last time, residents were asked to stay in their homes and keep windows closed. However, an evacuation was not necessary. A state chemist was also on site. Emergency services quickly found the poison gas leak in a freight car. A dome cover was temporarily closed with special mats. After that, according to Hafner, no more leakage could be detected during measurements. The fire brigade returned at 1:30 am.
It was not the same car as in the incident in May, Hafner emphasizes.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
