MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- Environmental officials have asked Maryville, Tennessee, residents to avoid a creek where dead fish were found after a CSX train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire.
According to WATE-TV, biologists who were installing a water treatment system found the fish in Culton Creek.
They believe the fish may have died at least two days ago, close to the time of Friday's train accident. The car that derailed contained liquid acrylonitrile, a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes.
Officials say it's unclear if the chemical killed the fish, but they've issued a public advisory to be safe.
CSX spokeswoman Kristin Seay said in a statement Monday that the company has mostly completed the excavation of soil affected by the derailment and "no adverse effects" to air or well water have been detected.