The Franklin Police Department says that several railroad crossings across St. Mary Parish are reopening after a railcar was discovered to have leaked an oil material across the parish.
The department says that the spill began in Terrebonne Parish and continued throughout parish until the train was finally stopped at the St. Mary / Iberia Parish line. Officials say the train was carrying "tall oil" and that the chemical has been determined to be non-hazardous. Firefighters say that the main concern was for vehicles traveling over the railroad crossings where the leak had covered the roadway.
Those roadways have been covered in sand to reduce the slick nature of the material and allow for passing. Cleanup is still ongoing at several other railroad crossings West of Highway 83 to the St. Mary / Iberia Parish line.
The Lafayette Fire Department Hazmat and BNSF Response Crews helped with the cleanup.
Officials say that some rain may delay the cleanup process in some areas. Use extreme caution when passing over railroad crossings in the parish.
