31 Rail Cars Loaded with Coal Derail in Arkansas

Crews in Little River County are working to remove 31 rail cars loaded with coal that derailed south of Ashdown.

The sheriff’s office said Wednesday that U.S. Highway 71 is open, but cleanup of the derailment is continuing.

The Texarkana Gazette reports the Kansas City Southern railcars left the track Tuesday afternoon. No one was hurt, but a thunderstorm moved over the area as the cleanup got under way, posing a hazard for workers.

Two vehicles were waiting on the highway for the train to pass when the derailment occurred. Officials say a man in a pickup truck was covered in coal dust but refused medical treatment. A woman in a sedan had to back across four highway lanes to get out of the way.