Wittenburg Train Derailment; Wittenburg, MO

Wittenburg, MO | 1998-Dec-29

Initial Notification: The incident occurred on December 29, 1998 at 11:15 EST at Wittenburg, MO where a southbound Burlington Northern SF freight train partially derailed. Of the 3 locomotives and 86 cars, twelve cars derailed; four of which were tank cars. One of the cars emptied its contents of titanium dioxide (white paint pigment) into the Mississippi River at milepost 113. Two other tank cars, which remain intact, contain pentane and isoprene and a forth, also intact, contains sulphuric acid. Presently the tank car which contained the titanium dioxide is floating free down the Mississippi River and mariners are being requested to assist in diverting it towards shore. USCG district 8.