3 railcars carrying sulfuric acid derail in Martinez

Three railcars carrying contaminated sulfuric acid derailed Wednesday morning in Martinez, but they were intact and none of the material leaked, a county hazardous materials official said.

While authorities said the incident posed no harm to surrounding communities, Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia called it a “near miss,” and said it raised questions about rail safety.

Around 7:30 a.m., the Union Pacific cars left the track along Marina Vista Avenue under the Interstate 680 overpass near the Benicia Bridge, said Amanda Ackerman, a hazardous materials specialist with the Contra Costa County Department of Public Health.

The tracks where the derailment occurred are owned by Eco Services, a sulfuric acid supplier and regeneration facility, but Union Pacific dispatched its own crews to the scene to assist, said Francisco Castillo, a company spokesman.

The cars were delivering spent sulfuric acid, which was laden with contaminated hydrocarbon, to Eco Services.