Toxic train crash contaminated nearby well water

A car on a CSX train carrying a flammable and toxic substance derailed and caught fire in eastern Tennessee, prompting the evacuation of thousands within a 2-mile radius.
A car on a CSX train carrying a flammable and toxic substance derailed and caught fire in eastern Tennessee, prompting the evacuation of thousands within a 2-mile radius.
photo A Blount County Sherriff's officer reroutes traffic away from a train derailment and fire on Thursday, July 2, 2015 in Maryville, Tenn. Officials say an evacuation is expected to last at least until Friday, after a CSX train car carrying a flammable and toxic substance derailed and caught fire. They also asked nearby residents not to drink well water for now. About 5,000 people in the area were evacuated along with several businesses. (Tom Sherlin/The Daily Times via AP)
photo Red Cross volunteers at Heritage High School assist people displaced by a train derailment and fire in Maryville, Tenn., Thursday July 2, 2015. Officials say an evacuation is expected to last at least until Friday, after a CSX train car carrying a flammable and toxic substance derailed and caught fire. They also asked nearby residents not to drink well water for now. About 5,000 people in the area were evacuated along with several businesses. (Tom Sherlin/The Daily Times via AP)

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Officials were advising residents against the use of well water Tuesday in the area where a CSX train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire in east Tennessee.

A well water sample within about 350 feet of the train derailment site has shown detections of acrylonitrile, a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency as well as state and local officials.

Municipal water supplies weren't affected. "Very few residents" were impacted by the advisory as of Tuesday, City Manager Greg McClain said.

The chemical was in a train car that derailed and burned late Wednesday in Maryville, leading to the evacuation of about 5,000 residents on Thursday. Evacuees were allowed to return to their homes Friday.

Officials said about 10 wells are located in the area, but it was not immediately clear how many homes were affected. Police officers were knocking on doors to locate unidentified wells in the area for testing. Bottled water was being brought in for residents.

Also, officials lifted an advisory issued Monday telling residents to avoid a creek where dead fish were found after the crash.

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