The company also said that an unoccupied locomotive was left partially in the river after the derailment, adding that oil and diesel fuel spilled. Environmental containment measures were in place after the derailment.
"An unknown quantity of diesel fuel and oil spilled from the derailed locomotives and environmental measures will be deployed in the New River for containment," CSX said. "There were no hazardous materials being transported by this train. The incident posed no danger to the public."
NTSB OPENS 'SPECIAL INVESTIGATION' INTO NORFOLK SOUTHERN
Smoke fills the sky after an empty CSX coal train hit a rockslide along tracks causing a fiery derailment on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 in a remote area just south of Sandstone, W.Va. Four locomotives and 22 empty cars derailed in Summers County near the New River, CSX said. The lead locomotive, which carried a conductor, an engineer and an engineer trainee, caught fire and the crewmembers were being evaluated and treated for non-life threatening injuries, the company said. (Jenny Harnish/The Register-Herald via AP)
The West Virginia Emergency Management Division said that CSX will be responsible for the cleanup.
"CSX owns twelve feet from the middle of the track to either side and will be responsible for cleanup. The company is sending a spill response unit that will coordinate with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) on mitigation and remediation efforts," the state agency said in a statement.
Smoke fills the sky after an empty CSX coal train hit a rockslide along tracks causing a fiery derailment, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in a remote area just south of Sandstone, W.Va. Four locomotives and 22 empty cars derailed in Summers County near the New River, CSX said. The lead locomotive, which carried a conductor, an engineer and an engineer trainee, caught fire and the crewmembers were being evaluated and treated for non-life threatening injuries, the company said. (Jenny Harnish/The Register-Herald via AP)
The agency said that no roads were closed and no homes were forced to be evacuated as a result of the derailment.
Smoke fills the sky after an empty CSX coal train hit a rockslide along tracks causing a fiery derailment on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 in a remote area just south of Sandstone, W.Va. Four locomotives and 22 empty cars derailed in Summers County near the New River, CSX said. The lead locomotive, which carried a conductor, an engineer and an engineer trainee, caught fire and the crewmembers were being evaluated and treated for non-life threatening injuries, the company said. (Jenny Harnish/The Register-Herald via AP)
According to the statement, public water systems downstream were notified and are monitoring for any potential public health impacts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.