The Graniteville train crash was an American rail disaster that occurred on January 6, 2005, in Graniteville, South Carolina. At 2:39 am EST, two Norfolk Southern freight trains collided near the Avondale Mills plant in Graniteville. Nine people were killed and over 250 people were treated for toxic chlorine exposure. The crash was determined to be caused by a misaligned railroad switch.
On January 5, 2005, NS local train P22 (led by GP59 #4622) began its daily operation. The regularly assigned conductor and engineer were both off duty on January 5, and the jobs were filled for the day from a list of available standby employees. At the end of their scheduled run, train P22's crew parked the train on a siding near the Avondale Mills plant. The train crew contacted the local train dispatcher at 7:53 and 7:54 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) to clear two track warrants that were protecting train P22's use of the tracks. Although the railroad switch for the Avondale Mills siding was supposed to be set for mainline operation before P22's crew departed for the night, the train's brakeman later told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that he was "not 100 percent sure" he had aligned the switch for mainline operation, and that he "might have made a mistake." No train operated through the area or used the affected tracks for the rest of the day.
At 2:38 a.m. on January 6, NS freight train 192 (led by SD60s #6653 and #6593) approached Graniteville at approximately 48 mph (77 km/h). Train 192 entered emergency braking when the engineer saw the improperly aligned switch, but there was not sufficient distance for Train 192 to stop. At 2:39, Train 192 was diverted by the improperly lined switch onto the siding and collided with P22. The collision derailed both lead engines, sixteen of 192's forty-two freight cars, and one of P22's freight cars.
Train 192 was transporting chlorine gas, sodium hydroxide and cresol. One of 192's tank cars (loaded with 90 short tons (82 t) of chlorine) ruptured, releasing about 60 tons of the gas. About 30 percent of the load was recovered by industrial responders. Nine people died (eight at the time of the crash, one later as a result of chlorine inhalation), and at least 250 people were treated for chlorine exposure. In total, 5,400 residents within one mile (1.6 km) of the crash site were forced to evacuate for nearly two weeks while HAZMAT teams and cleanup crews decontaminated the area.
Nine people lost their lives in the Graniteville train disaster on the day of the crash:
Christopher Seeling, 28, of West Columbia, South Carolina, engineer of NS train 192 (was found at the crash site and later died at the hospital);
Willie C. Shealey, 43, of Graniteville, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was found in the wooded area near the Woodhead Division of Avondale Mills Inc.);
Willie L. Tyler, 57, of Graniteville, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was found about 25 feet inside the entrance to the Woodhead Division of Avondale Mills Inc. and later died at the hospital);
John Laird, 24, of North Augusta, South Carolina, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was also found in the wooded area near the Woodhead Division of Avondale Mills Inc.);
Fred "Rusty" Rushton III, 41, of Warrenville, South Carolina, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was found on the loading dock of the Stevens Steam Plant, owned by Avondale Mills Inc.);
Steven Bagby, 38, of Augusta, Georgia, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was found in a break area in the Gregg Division of Avondale Mills Inc.);
Allen Frazier, 58, of Ridge Spring, South Carolina, employee of Avondale Mills Inc. (was found in an office in the Gregg Division of Avondale Mills Inc.);
Joseph L. Stone, 22, of Quebec, Canada, an employee of JW Express Trucking Company (was found in the truck's sleeper cab); and
Tony DeLoach, 56, of Graniteville, South Carolina (was found in his home on Main Street near the train wreck).
On April 21, 2005, one more death was attributed to the crash. Leonard Mathis, a brick mason in Graniteville, was driving home from a convenience store just after the crash occurred. As he was traveling home, he passed through a portion of the chlorine cloud that resulted from the collision. His health deteriorated from that point on.
Norfolk Southern announced that it expected the disaster to cost between $US 30 and $40 million, including the corporation's self-insurance retention under its insurance policies and other uninsured costs, but not any fines or penalties that might be imposed.
On May 25, 2005, lawyers involved in the damages claims against Norfolk Southern announced that they had reached a preliminary agreement on settlements for area residents and business that were evacuated but did not seek medical attention. In this preliminary settlement, Norfolk Southern would offer each resident who was evacuated and did not seek medical attention within 72 hours of the accident a flat amount of $2,000 for the evacuation plus $200 per person per day of the evacuation. These amounts are separate from any property damage claims. Claims that involve injury or death are not included in this settlement, but are still being negotiated.
On May 22, 2006, Avondale Mills' CEO, Robert Williams Sr., announced that his firm would close all its plants, corporate and sales offices no later than July 25, throwing more than 4,000 workers across four states out of work. Mr. Felker cited the 2005 derailment as the primary reasons for the company's failure. The wreck knocked out the Gregg plant of Avondale Mills, which was a key pillar to the survival of the company in a shrinking United States textile market. The plant accounted for 40% of the company's sales.