Train Explosion in Bulgaria

[danielson00]

Bulgarian freight train derails and explodes, killing four - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38274342

Thoughts to all those involved.

 

[trainmania100]

My word what a horrible incident my thoughts are with those involved

Wasn't long ago that other major disaster in bulgaria
For the benefit of those who can't open links for whatever reason

A train carrying liquid petroleum gas has derailed and exploded in Bulgaria, killing at least four people.
More than 20 people are being treated in hospital with burns and other injuries after the incident in the village of Hitrino, local media say.
The authorities ordered an evacuation as firefighters battled the blaze
At least 20 buildings were damaged in the derailment and explosion, spokesperson Nikolay Nikolov told Bulgaria's Nova television.
Two tanks hit an electricity line and exploded when the train derails near the village station at about 05:30 local time (03:30 GMT), according to several reports.
"Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings," Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov told Reuters news agency.
"There are many people injured... many with burns."

 

[Ash Bridge]

My word what a horrible incident my thoughts are with those involved

Wasn't long ago that other major disaster in bulgaria
For the benefit of those who can't open links for whatever reason

It is indeed a horrible incident, my wife who is Bulgarian has been looking at the various Bulgarian news channels and sadly the casualty list still appears to be increasing, it seems the tanker train was operated by Bulmarket, a private freight operator who use ex BR class 86 and 87s plus other former Danish electric locomotives on these trains.

 

[duesselmartin]

What was/is the track condition on that line? Has it been upgraded or was track failure to be expected?

 

[fergusjbend]

Liquefied natural gas seems to be a very hazardous cargo. A similar accident occurred in Italy several years ago, again with serious loss of life.

Is LNG transported by rail in the UK? I think the two major LNG terminals at the Isle of Grain (Kent) and Milford Haven (Pembrokeshire) are connected to the gas national grid, and rail transfer is not involved. Even so, the consequences of an accident at either terminal does not bear thinking about!

 

[TheEdge]

Is the North Walsham - Parkeston tanks LNG?

 

[ac6000cw]

Is the North Walsham - Parkeston tanks LNG?

As far as I know, it's natural gas condensate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural-gas_condensate (a major north sea gas pipeline makes landfall in that area of Norfolk).

Years ago there was a reasonable amount of LPG moved by rail in the UK - I used to fairly live close to a rail-served LPG terminal at Rowley Regis. Both it and the adjacent oil products terminal eventually closed, at least in part because of safety concerns about storing large quantities of LPG in an urban area.

One of the problems with block trains of hazardous products is that you put many hundred (or thousands of) tonnes of the stuff in one place, which isn't a good safety scenario in the event of a derailment or collision...

 

[edwin_m]

One of the problems with block trains of hazardous products is that you put many hundred (or thousands of) tonnes of the stuff in one place, which isn't a good safety scenario in the event of a derailment or collision...

Probably safer than putting it in a couple of dozen tankers on the road though.

LPG is arguably more dangerous than LNG because its vapour is heavier than air so tends to collect in explosive concentrations near the ground, whereas methane just goes up into the atmosphere.

 

[swt class 450]

Thoughts with those involved. It looks like a terrible incident. Any ideas on what could have caused the derailment?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thoughts with those involved. It looks like a terrible incident. Any ideas on what could have caused the derailment?

Several Bulgarian news agency's are mentioning high speed, although they state that data from the locomotives speed recorders has yet to be retrieved so at the moment this is obviously just speculation.

 

[30907]

Probably safer than putting it in a couple of dozen tankers on the road though.

As shown by the horrific road tanker accident in Kenya last night.