US chemical train crash leaves several dead

A freight train carrying deadly chemicals has crashed into a parked empty locomotive in the United States. Eight people have been killed, seven of those because of toxic chlorine fumes released on impact. The accident occurred in South Carolina. State governor Mark Sanford fears there are more dead, “Chlorine is a deadly chemical and has already caused a number of deaths, and I expect that death toll will rise. When I just reviewed the area from the scene, there was still a body at the edge of the factory that was observable from the air.”

More than 5000 inhabitants within a 1.5 kilometre radius of the crash site in Graniteville were evacuated because chlorine was continuing to leak out. At least 45 people were admitted to hospital, most were suffering from respiratory ailments.

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