ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 12, 1997 TAG: 9704140062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE
A rail car filled with a highly combustible chemical overheated Friday, forcing the closure of a three-mile stretch of Interstate 464 for 11 hours.
Firefighters and a regional hazardous materials team sprayed water to cool the car's contents and knock down vapor that had escaped into the atmosphere through a safety valve.
``The cooling process has worked, and the situation has stabilized,'' said Jack Manning, human services director for Huntsman Chemical Corp., about 5 p.m.
There were no injuries, although a few people reported minor breathing difficulties and eye irritation.
The rail car contained a styrene monomer mixture that is used to manufacture plastic foam. Vapor from the chemical has a pungent odor but dissipates quickly in the atmosphere.
The incident was reported about 1:30 a.m. Interstate 464 reopened at 12:30 p.m.
Chesapeake Fire Department spokeswoman Tricia Chappel said officials did not know what caused the rail car to overheat.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB