Fire Erupts, Homes Evacuated in Georgia Train Derailment

A train derailment in metro Atlanta early Sunday sparked a small fire, created runoff concerns and briefly forced some residents from their homes, a fire official said.

The CSX train with about 170 cars, including three locomotives, ran off the tracks in Lilburn, according to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.

The fire involved “hazardous materials,” spokesperson Justin Wilson said. The agency shared photos on social media of smoky air over buildings in the city northeast of downtown Atlanta.

It was unclear what exactly the train cars were carrying but crews were continuing “atmospheric monitoring” after evacuation orders were lifted around 6 a.m. Evacuations had begun around 2 a.m.

Two employees involved in the derailment were able to get to safety and were being evaluated for possible injuries, the agency said in a Facebook post. No injuries were immediately reported.