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Chemical leak from train car stopped; evacuation order remains in effect in Hamilton Co.

By WHIO Staff

Whitewater Township (WCPO/ Ray Pfeffer)

By WHIO Staff

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP — A dangerous chemical leak at a railroad yard in Whitewater Township has stopped but an evacuation order remains in effect.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 6, Hamilton County EMA said in a social media post just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday that there was a chemical leak near State Route 128. People were told to go and stay inside.

Residents were also told to seal off doors and windows, close fireplace dampers and turn off their heat.

The Central Railroad of Indiana said one of its tanker cars was venting styrene near U.S. 50 and State Route 128, a spokesperson told our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati.

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Crews responded and applied water to the tanker car.

After several hours, the car was safely separated from the train and the leak stopped, officials told WCPO.

Crews are still working on the car and testing the air. Local evacuation and shelter-in-place orders remain intact.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Dangerous’ chemical leak prompts evacuation in Hamilton County

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, styrene is a colorless, flammable liquid used to make plastics and rubber. Styrene is highly volatile.

The CDC reports that people may experience tiredness, slowed reaction times, concentration problems, and balance issues if they are exposed to styrene concentrations more than 1,000 times higher than the levels normally found in the environment.

Residents were asked Tuesday to evacuate and leave the area of US-50 and OH-128 in any direction.

A shelter has been opened for the public at Whitewater Township Community Center at 6125 Dry Fork Road, Hamilton County EMA said.

We will update this story.

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