50 Residents Evacuated Returned to Homes

NEW AUGUSTA, Miss. (AP) – Perry County emergency officials lifted the mandatory evacuation for areas north of U.S. Highway 98 Sunday and about 50 people who left their homes after a train derailment returned home.

Each family was escorted by local law enforcement officials, and teams to monitor the air quality in each home to ensure no contamination was detected.

Sheriff Jimmy Dale Smith said in a statement that a tank car carrying methanol was secured Saturday.

Nineteen railcars derailed near New Augusta, closing U.S. 98 for several hours on Friday. The eastbound side of the highway opened to traffic late Friday evening.

At the time of the derailment, five cars were leaking materials: three leaking crude oil, one leaking liquid fertilizer and one leaking methanol. The cleanup continues.

No injuries were reported.