Another deadly train accident

The cleanup continues and many questions remain unanswered in the aftermath of Thursday morning's tragic train wreck in Graniteville.

For the second time in two months, a Norfolk Southern Railroad train has been involved in a fatal accident. This time a train containing chemical-laden cars crashed head-on into another engine and car apparently on a spur line in Graniteville. The accident occurred only blocks from the scene of a train-car wreck that killed five on Nov. 10.

At least eight fatalities have been confirmed in Graniteville from Thursday's accident, and leakage of chlorine gas from at least one car caused the evacuation of much of the town overnight.

County, state and federal agencies are on hand to provide public safety for those in the area and to expedite the investigation of the accident. The response from officials in and around Aiken County was impressive. Aiken County responders and those from nearby communities created a staging area a couple of miles from the site from which emergency workers were dispatched.

While news from Graniteville was sparse Thursday, emergency workers appropriately acted with caution as they assessed the dangers within the town and immediate surroundings. Gov. Mark Sanford visited that scene and took a flyover tour of the Graniteville area after declaring a state of emergency for Aiken County.

The cause of the accident and final death and injury tolls remain to be seen as the investigation into the incident has just begun. A thorough investigation and appropriate actions on train traffic in the Graniteville area must be assured for the sake of the victims of this tragedy as well as for the continued safety of the people of the community.

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