PORTLAND, Ore. — The City of Portland has demanded that Union Pacific halt all movement of cars posing toxic or poison inhalation hazards past the site of the Centennial Mills fire, saying the railroad moved 13 cars carrying residual chlorine through the collapse zone on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
The city says that move is contrary to UP assurances that it would not move such materials past the site; UP’s plans said it would not move loaded cars of hazardous materials on the route. In a letter from City Administrator Raymond Lee III, released by the city on Wednesday, Aug. 12, the city called for the immediate suspension of all movements involving materials posing toxic inhalation or poison inhalation hazards, including cars with residual material.
Lee’s letter says a tank car with residual material can contain up to 8% of the car’s total tank volume and that a single car with 5% residual volume could carry 1,500 gallons of chlorine. It says “a release of that magnitude would produce a hazardous plume requiring immediate emergency response and posing a severe threat to nearby residents, workers, and the surrounding community.”…