Derailed Train Spills 60,000 Gallons of Crude Oil; Police Cite Auto Driver

A Southern Pacific Railroad fuel tank train derailed Sunday and spilled more than 60,000 gallons of crude oil in Lancaster after an automobile plowed through a railroad crossing and damaged the tracks.

The train’s crew of four escaped harm when the four engines and 33 fuel tank cars rolled off the tracks about 3:15 a.m., Southern Pacific spokesman John Tierney said. At least nine damaged tank cars began leaking crude oil, and Tierney said the spill was contained with sandbags by late morning.

Tierney said many cars are still off the tracks, which are not expected to be repaired until Tuesday. “We don’t know when we’ll have the cars up,” he said. “We’re hoping they’re in good enough shape so that we can re-rail them up on the tracks.”

3 Injured in Car

Railroad work crews used cranes to right overturned tank cars, and Los Angeles County paramedics, firefighters and hazardous materials teams used foam and other chemicals to contain the fuel.

The driver of the automobile, Marty Wilbrecht, 23, of Lancaster, and one of his passengers, James Williamson, 20, were taken to County-USC Medical Center, where both were in serious condition with multiple fractures. A third passenger, Forrest Okey, 38, of Lancaster, was taken to Antelope Valley Medical Center, where he was in fair condition.

County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Andrews said Wilbrecht was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. According to Andrews, the car was eastbound on Avenue H when it sped through a stop sign at a railroad crossing, hit an embankment and flipped over, damaging the tracks. Wilbrecht was trapped in the vehicle and had to be pulled out by bystanders.

Tierney said the fuel tank train was “close behind” the car when it overturned. “Our indications are that the engineer could not stop in time to avoid the damaged tracks,” he said.

Tierney said he could not estimate the cost of the damage.