Derailment Sparks Train Fire in South Nashville

March 10, 2024
Nashville firefighters worked to contain a fire involving two locomotives but had to wait for power shut off before placing the fire under control.

Nashville firefighters had to wait for a train locomotive to be deenergized Saturday before they were able to contain a fire that was sparked by a train derailment. 

The derailment led to a diesel fuel tank being ruptured, which ignited a burned along the railroad tracks at the South Nashville rail yard.

“The first locomotive was de-energized, but the second one still had energy running to it with the diesel fuel leaking out of the bottom, so we had to wait for CSX to get on site so they could de-energize that second locomotive while our personnel were trying to contain the diesel fuel leak that was still happening, so it was a very, kind of, complicated process that was happening simultaneously, a lot of moving pieces and parts, which is why a lot of personnel were called to the scene,” Nashville Fire spokesperson Kendra Loney told WKRN.com.

Loney said 20 Nashville fire units, plus hazardous materials crews from the region responded to control the fire, and manage the leak of almost 2,000 gallons of diesel.

The incident was reported at 2:30 p.m. and rail traffic was stopped in the area until the situation was placed under control

No injuries were reported.