A freight train derailment Tuesday afternoon in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, sent 5-10 freight cars off the tracks and prompted a shelter-in-place order. The derailment happened around 2 p.m. between Street Road and the Neshaminy Falls train station.
Authorities in Bensalem told residents to shelter in place and stay away from the scene while police, fire, emergency medical services and hazmat teams responded. The train cars were strewn across the tracks, turning a railroad incident into a broader safety response for nearby residents.
Bensalem Township Police
Bensalem Township Police identified the derailment as involving freight cars, not passenger cars. That distinction matters for the response because the first question is not only where the cars came off the rails, but what they were carrying and whether anything in those cars could affect the area around Street Road and the Neshaminy Falls train station.
Hazmat teams in Bensalem
Officials said the contents of the derailed cars were still being assessed at the time of the report. That left the shelter-in-place order tied to an active check of what was in the train, while residents in Bensalem Township were told to stay away from the scene until responders finished their work.
The immediate open question is what caused the freight train derailment in Bensalem Township. Until responders finish assessing the cars and the scene, the practical step for nearby residents is to remain clear of the area and follow the shelter-in-place order already in effect.
