Technicians abandoned an effort to empty potentially explosive derailed propane cars Tuesday after hearing a hissing sound and seeing liquid on the side of one of the tankers.
The crew suspected the liquid was propane and evacuated the area shortly before noon, retreating to a command center a mile away, Wisconsin National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Fox said.
Four hours later, a reconnaissance team “very gingerly” returned to the area to investigate the tanker, the only one of 14 to which technicians had been unable to install a pressure value to monitor growing risks of an explosion, he said.
The cars were among 35 of a Wisconsin Central Ltd. train that jumped the tracks nine days ago, igniting a blaze and raising the threat of explosion that has kept the community of 1,700 evacuated since.
