CITRA, Fla. – Two CSX trains collided and derailed early Wednesday in Marion County, causing 20 cars to overturn and a fuel leak of up to 15,000 gallons, officials said.
The head-on collision was reported about 4:15 a.m. at a train crossing on 175th Street at NE 23rd in Citra, just north of Ocala.
Two men on one of the trains were evaluated, but they refused medical treatment, Marion County Fire Rescue officials said. No one was injured on the other train, officials said.
CSX said a train transporting non-hazardous phosphate rock collided with another CSX train that was loaded with coal.
The phosphate train was traveling from Mulberry, Florida, to Chicago with three locomotives and 100 loaded phosphate cars, CSX said. The coal train was traveling from Pembroke, Kentucky, to Tampa with three locomotives and 110 loaded cars of coal, officials said.
Video from News 6 helicopter Sky 6 and photos released by Marion County Fire Rescue show several mangled train cars piled up.
“Please avoid Pine Church Road/2500 NE 175th Street as the road has been blocked off by a portion of the train,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. “Please plan your travels accordingly.”
The cause of the collision is under investigation.
