Fire breaks out at the scene of chemical spill in Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Mass.—A fire broke out at the scene of a freight train derailment which caused a chemical spill in Lawrence.
Firefighters said it was not immediately clear what caused barrels containing the recovered sodium chlorate to catch fire Saturday night.
The chemical is commonly used in the manufacture of paper pulp and as a herbicide. It is not considered dangerous unless it comes in contact with water.
About a dozen area homes were evacuated Thursday after the train was derailed and spilled the chemical. The incident also interrupted commuter rail service.
On Saturday, a fire-fighting team that specializes in dealing with hazardous materials was called to the scene of the two-alarm fire.
The team was evaluating the scene after the fire was extinguished.
