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It was a long, tiring and risky work day for the rescue service in Greater Gothenburg, after two wagons with dangerous goods collided and were damaged in the Sävenäs sorting yard on Tuesday morning.
For much of the day, the safety distance around the two carriages was a full 600 meters and the public was urged to stay away and inquire about the development. At 2.30 pm, the rescue service announced that the cordoned off area in the sorting yard had been reduced to 100 meters.
A wagon needed to be lifted with a crane truck.
– We have been able to affirm that the wagons were emptied. They are never completely emptied, but there is always a lot left, but that meant we could reduce obstacles, says Lars Magnusson, operations manager for the rescue service in Greater Gothenburg.
One crashed train car contained ethylene oxide and the other hydrogen peroxide. This last carriage could move from the site during the day. However, the salvage service made the assessment that the ethylene oxide wagon needed to be lifted with the help of a crane truck, a risky but necessary exercise to determine the next step of the operation.
– We want to investigate the car so there are no leaks there, says Lars Magnusson.
The parties involved met in the afternoon to decide how to proceed with the rescue operation. Photo: Jonas Lindstedt
Water cannons rigged before the elevator
Prior to the lifting, dispersion calculations were made and the rescue service installed water cannons to be able to wash off any spillage. Matilda Gustavsson, rescue leader during the operation, explained what the place was like before the elevator:
– The ethylene oxide tank truck stands on the rails, but an empty chassis for a cargo trailer has been wedged under the tank truck in connection with the accident.
During preparations, the wind direction and speed was monitored in the event of a possible gas emission. Various authorities followed the development, including the Swedish police, ambulance service and Transport Administration, regional board, health service and MSB, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency.
The elevator, which was described by the rescue service as critical and risky, was advanced several times during the night for logistical reasons. Once finished, at 9:30 p.m., everything went smoothly.
– Everything went well. The elevator is ready and the carriage is on the rails again, says Bosse Johansson in the rescue service shortly after 10 p.m.
Was the cart damaged?
– I have not received any information about damage to the car, but there are no leaks in any case. Now others can take over the job of transporting the car.
Sometimes big obstacles during the day
Early Tuesday morning the alarm went off about the accident and derailment in the classification yard. One of the wagons had been damaged at one end, but according to the salvage service no dangerous goods were leaking. No one was injured in the accident.
Just before 7 a.m., the police announced that they had cordoned off an area within a 600-meter radius of the crash site. The police also decided to evacuate several buildings, including Torpaskolan and the Solgläntan preschool.
– We have a great effort together with the rescue service and all accesses from Munkebäcksmotet to Sävenäs are closed, says Jens Christensen in the West police region.
READ MORE: Schools closed after derailment: leisure students were evacuated
Western traffic trains ran aground after the accident. Photo: Meli Petersson Ellafi
Long delays in public transport
The accident caused major problems in train traffic and several departures had to be canceled during the day. However, in the late afternoon, traffic could resume, but with delays. Tram traffic in the immediate area was also affected.
READ MORE: This is how train traffic is affected by the Sävenäs accident
The entrances to the E20 in Munkebäck were also blocked in connection with the work of the rescue service. Photo: Meli Petersson Ellafi
Facts: Hazardous Chemicals
Hydrogen peroxide It is an important industrial chemical used to bleach products in the pulp, paper and textile industries; it is also used to bleach hair. Hydrogen peroxide concentrated solutions in organic solvents and gas mixtures containing hydrogen peroxide vapors can be explosive.
Ethylene oxide or ethylene oxide It is a colorless gas with a sweet odor that condenses into a liquid at 10.5 degrees. It is chemically very reactive and is used industrially on a large scale.
The gas is flammable and can form explosive mixtures with air. The gas leak ignites very easily and the area of risk of pressure waves, splinters and exposure to heat (in case of ignition) becomes larger than the area identified by an explosimeter.
Closed containers may explode when heated and there is a risk of poisoning by skin contact with the substance and by inhalation of vapors or aerosols.
The major emissions risk area includes 600 meters downwind during normal weather.
The gas is used for the sterilization of certain spices, as well as medical equipment that cannot withstand heating (for example, disposable artificial kidneys).
Source: NE, Swedish Civil Protection and Emergency Planning Agency RIB
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