(HICKMAN COUNTY, Ky.)-A CN Railroad freight train derailed late Saturday night near the border of Hickman and Carlisle counties in western Kentucky, sending roughly 30 rail cars and two locomotives off the tracks and triggering a multi-agency emergency response that stretched into the following day.
Emergency managers were alerted to the incident at approximately 10:16 p.m. on May 31, when reports came in of a possible derailment near Peery Road along the Hickman County–Carlisle County line. Responding crews confirmed the scale of the wreck upon arrival.
The train was hauling a mixed cargo load that included aggregate materials, automotive-related goods, and various chemical products. Two of the derailed cars initially raised concerns among first responders due to their chemical contents, prompting a hazardous materials evaluation. After inspections by hazmat specialists and railroad officials, authorities determined neither car posed a risk to nearby residents, and a shelter-in-place order that had been issued for portions of northern Hickman County was subsequently lifted.
No injuries have been reported.
Recovery efforts have been complicated by the terrain surrounding the crash site. The derailment occurred in a densely wooded area at the far end of Peery Road, making it difficult for emergency crews and equipment to reach the scene. Peery Road remains closed to the public while operations continue.
Motorists in the area are also feeling the effects of the ongoing response. Highway 51 North between KY 288 and KY 80 near the town of Arlington remains affected, and drivers are being advised to allow extra travel time or seek alternate routes.
Hickman County Emergency Management is coordinating the response with more than a dozen agencies, including both counties’ sheriff’s offices and fire departments, regional hazmat teams, the Kentucky Department of Transportation, Kentucky Emergency Management, and McCracken County Emergency Management, among others.
Officials say they will continue monitoring the situation and release further updates as recovery and remediation work progresses.
PHOTO COURTESY: Hickman County Office of Emergency Management
