On Tuesday, 27 January 2009, firefighters tackled a blazing freight train which crashed in Ayrshire. Flames were seen shooting 50ft high after the crash, south of Stewarton at about 6.15 a.m. fortunately well before rush hour.

Aerial Shot of Crash

More than 50 fire crew were involved in controlling the fire, which broke out after five fuel wagons on the freight train were derailed. The train was carrying heating oil and diesel from a Grangemouth refinery to a fuel depot in Kilmarnock.

The train’s 45-year-old driver escaped unharmed. It is thought his locomotive and the first four wagons on the 10-wagon train became decoupled from the rear six wagons. Five of the loose wagons came off the track, striking a power line.

The crash closed the single-track line between Barrhead in East Renfrewshire and Kilmarnock and police closed surrounding roads, causing chaos during rush hour.

Police said one road would be closed for up to 21 days while the damage was repaired and the accident investigated. Rail accident investigators tried to establish what caused the derailment. It is unclear why the train separated, and it is not clear whether the bridge collapsed because of the accident or had been damaged before the derailment. Contractors had been working on the line between Stewarton and Dunlop and Lugton since September 2008 carrying out remedial and upgraded works.

Emergency Services Take Over

The fire, which took hold after the train derailed, sent large black plumes of smoke high into the skies over Stewarton and continued well into the evening. Many nearby homes and farms were evacuated as a safety precaution.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency hope to establish the extent of the damage to local rivers from leaking fuel. “Once the fire is extinguished, the next task will be to investigate the environmental impact of the kerosene getting into water sources,” he said.

Six of the 10 wagons came off the rails and some caught fire. The train hit a pylon while crossing a bridge, both of which have collapsed. Power lines have come down and the nearby A735 was closed.

Ch Sup Martyn Ripley, of British Transport Police, said: “No injuries have been reported and the train driver has now left the scene. “Six wagons from the 10 wagon train, travelling from Mossend to Riccarton have overturned and a bridge has collapsed. The locomotive remained upright.

Local train services between Barrhead in East Renfrewshire and Kilmarnock were stopped and alternative arrangements put in place for travellers.

A spokesman for BP rail cars said: “The wagons were carrying heating oil and diesel from the Grangemouth refinery to a Scottish Fuels terminal in Kilmarnock.”

Scottish Power said up to 100 homes in the Kilmaurs area of Ayrshire had lost electricity as a result of the crash.

URsTV were on hand to video Chief Superintendent Martyn Ripley updating the press on the current situation.