A freight train belonging to Grupo México Transportes, formerly known as Ferromex, derailed in the municipality of Naco, Sonora, causing a spill of nearly 60,000 liters of sodium hydrosulfide, reported the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).
The accident occurred near the Potrero El Cobre ranch, located in the Cuauhtémoc ejido, where several railcars left the tracks and some of the chemical was released.
The environmental agency indicated that no injuries were reported and stated, preliminarily, that the spill does not pose an immediate risk to the nearby population, although the corresponding investigations are ongoing.
“The Attorney General’s Office is carrying out inspection, monitoring, and environmental assessment actions to determine the extent of the environmental damage and verify compliance with the response measures implemented by the responsible company,” the agency stated.
After receiving the report, personnel from the State Civil Protection Coordination went to the area, where emergency crews and representatives from the companies involved were already working, according to a statement from Profepa (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection).
The National Water Commission (Conagua) began monitoring and took samples of water and soil to identify potential environmental impacts resulting from the incident and to determine the extent of the contamination.
Profepa also deployed personnel to reinforce technical inspection, surveillance, and environmental assessment efforts, while federal, state, and municipal authorities coordinated the response to the emergency and the investigation into the incident.
The Attorney General’s Office stated that it will continue with the necessary procedures to determine the magnitude of the environmental damage caused by the hazardous material and to define the measures that must be implemented at the site.
The statement did not initially specify the cause of the derailment, the exact number of train cars affected, the area affected by the spill, or whether the substance reached waterways or reservoirs.
Source: elcomentario.ucol
