The investigation now focused on the expired stabilizer in a chemical spill in Whitewater Township

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) – Federal Railway Administration investigators have cleared the site of a chemical release near Cleves that prompted mass evacuations Tuesday.

The investigation will focus on the time it took a tank car full of styrene to travel from Texas to Addyston, as well as the amount of additives used to keep the chemical stable.

Initial reports from the Central Railroad of Indiana indicated that the stabilizer in the tanker had expired, causing the styrene to polymerize. This caused heat and pressure to build up, causing gas to be released through a safety valve to prevent an explosion. The gas release forced hundreds of homes and businesses to evacuate.

Engineering consultant Lawrence Levine said it was unacceptable to only have the choice between an explosion or a gas release.

“If that's the case and both outcomes are a disaster, then you'd better put some sort of warning system in place to at least warn the people driving the train,” Levine said.

Two research and development companies have presented wireless devices to the FRA that could send signals to the railroad, shipper or receiver when heat or pressure builds up in a tank car. However, this technology does not appear to be in use, nor is it required by the FRA.

Chemical engineer David Arthur Rockstraw, Ph.D., explained what should happen in such a situation.

“Someone notices the temperature rising. Then you can inspect the car and potentially add more sway bar if you suspect loss of sway bar is a problem,” Rockstraw said.

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration records show there have been 233 incidents involving styrene in the past 25 years, 74 of which resulted in vapor dispersion. Most cases were mechanical problems, but three incidents, including the most recent, were caused by worn anti-roll bars. Of the total 14,600 incidents involving hazardous materials involving failure to load or unload trains, 81 involved Ineos, the same company involved in the incident near Cleves.

Local 12 asked Brian Stussie, VP of Operations for the Central Railroad of Indiana, the railroad where the hazardous material leaked from Cleves:

“As you look into the future, you're going to ask your customers like, 'Is your stabilizer expired?'”

“I think there are some questions we all need to ask,” Stussie said. “Involving our customers and other railroads in the partnership with the FRA.”

Stussie said Thursday that Ineos, the chemical company shipping the styrene, left the tank car near Cleves for days because Ineos was not ready for delivery. Local 12 emailed Ineos to ask: How long was the styrene in transit? whether enough stabilizer was added initially; and why Ineos did not accept and unload the tank wagon. Ineos has not yet responded.