A train derailment in Stephens County derails several cars. It happened near Highway 29 and the railroad in Marlow Sunday afternoon across the street from several homes.
Darlene Black was at home when she heard it.
“It was so loud, like a boom, like loud thunder, but much louder,” he said.
Lalla Thompson heard it.
“It was like a little earthquake there for a minute,” he said.
But Geanie Allen saw it all from her porch.
“All of a sudden, the wheels came out from under the car and into my parents’ yard,” he said. “And these cars look like dominoes, like in slow motion they’re falling and collapsing.”
Drone footage provided by viewer Nathan Mackey shows the magnitude of the crash where we counted up to 12 massive rail cars from the back of the line derailed, spilling grain, flour and dirt.
“We kind of froze for a minute like ‘did we really see that?’” Allen said.
Marlow Fire Chief Jason Miller said about a mile before the derailment, cars were starting small grass fires along the track.
“Something looks like it was bursting through there, we had fire trucks on the line, making sure to put out those spot fires,” Chief Miller said.
The line is operated by Union Pacific and railroad crews arrived quickly to begin assessing the damage and investigating what happened. But the biggest problem right now is the train blocking several intersections.
“We’ve got probably another quarter mile a train further that has most of our crossings blocked right now,” he said.
Miller said the railroad company is sending 10 semis full of large equipment to clean the cars. But the locals still can’t believe it happened.
“It’s wild, it’s crazy, but I’m just thankful nobody got hurt,” Thompson said.
Miller said the removal of the cars is expected to take several days.
This is a developing story. Please refresh this page for updates.
Photo courtesy of Tamara Wilson.
