MT. CARBON, W.Va., March 2 (UPI) -- Crews responding to last month's oil train derailment in West Virginia have moved from the emergency to the restoration phase, a unified command said.
A unified command set up by rail company CSX, local, state and federal authorities said emergency responders on the scene of the Feb. 16 derailment have left the site.
"As work continues, the response team is transitioning from an emergency phase into a restoration phase of activity," a weekend statement read.
CSX added that an outreach center set up in the wake of the derailment has closed.
About a dozen of the 28 cars on a CSX line that derailed near Mt. Carbon, W. Va., last month were carrying crude oil. All told, that would be the equivalent of about 8,000 barrels of oil on board if filled.
About 4,000 barrels of crude oil were removed from derailed cars and another 2,400 barrels of oily-water mixture have been recovered from the site.
The cars carrying crude oil were newer CPC-1232 models. Derailments involving older cars designated DOT-111 raised concerns about the safety of carrying crude oil by rail. A February briefing from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration found CPC-1232 were "marginally" better than older cars.
Federal investigators will remain at the site to determine a possible cause of the accident. Rail traffic resumed through the area last week.
