Residents of Matteson heard a loud noise come from Main Street one summer morning. Shortly thereafter, police quickly evacuated a four-block area around the derailment. The fear was that the 25 cars that came off their rails while carrying various types of chemicals might pose a threat to residents. One car was found to be leaking liquefied petroleum gas; however, it posed no immediate health risks to the public. The material was contained and disposed of safely.
Matteson Deputy Police Chief Jeremy Sims stated that local first responders were well-prepared to handle the situation, as most police and fire personnel in Matteson had completed training to respond to critical incidents. In addition to a quick response from Matteson’s police and fire departments,
MABAS Division 24, a mutual aid network that provides emergency response and resources for specialized incidents like hazardous materials, was also on the scene shortly after the derailment.
Sims said he was given very detailed information about things like wind speeds and what areas should be evacuated. He was responsible for communicating this information to officials in neighboring Park Forest and Richton Park.
“I think as far as critical incidents go, this was probably one of the smoother incidents you could have,” Sims said. “I think everybody came together, did what they were supposed to do, relied on their training, made the best possible decisions, and we were able to mitigate the scene very quickly.”
Sims emphasized the benefit of having a drone that first responders could deploy to gain a better view of the scene immediately after the accident, without risking human life.
“I’m thankful that everybody was able to come together and take care of the situation without having a significant impact on our communities,” Sims said. “We were extremely fortunate that we did not have a prolonged evacuation or exposure to anything horrible.”
Residents in Matteson were allowed back in their homes shortly after the risk assessment determined that it was safe. The first responders in Matteson were praised by members of the community for their quick response and swift action.
