Mexico’s Maya Train derails in the Yucatan Peninsula, but no injuries reported
An automated signaling switch failure caused the Maya Train to derail a car in Izamal without injuries, highlighting ongoing technical challenges in the 950-mile tourist route, officials said.
- In 2023, a derailment involving a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, caused the release of dangerous chemicals and delayed the arrival of specially trained hazardous materials firefighters by over an hour.
- The derailment occurred during a period marked by 57 incidents over the past ten years in the U.S. where train accidents released large volumes—1,000 gallons or more—of dangerous chemicals, frequently leading to evacuations and fires.
- Many communities along rail lines lack preparedness and timely access to hazardous materials information, worsened by federal delays in requiring immediate chemical disclosures.
- Fire departments requested nearly $4 billion from FEMA for hazmat support in fiscal 2024 but received only $291 million, limiting training and equipment amid rising costs.
- The East Palestine derailment highlights the need for stricter federal enforcement on hazardous materials communication to improve public safety and prevent similar incidents.
103 Articles
103 Articles

Many towns are unprepared to handle train derailments and hazmat spills
Train derailments involving spills of 1,000 gallons or more of hazardous materials happen a few times a year, often resulting in evacuations or fires. The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland found first responders, especially in…
Many Towns Are Unprepared to Handle Train Derailments and Hazmat Spills
A train derails and spills at least 1,000 gallons of hazardous materials in the U.S. about once every two months. Nearly half of those derailments resulted in evacuations; more than a quarter resulted in a fire or explosion since 2015, an analysis of federal derailment data showed.
A coach from the Maya Train derailed on Tuesday afternoon in Yucatán. A convoy car at Izamal Station left its track and invaded the neighboring tracks, as seen in several videos uploaded to social networks. Authorities have reported that there are no fatalities or serious injuries.The inauguration of this part of the megaproject—intersection between sections 3 and 4—was in December 2023.Continue reading
A coach from the Maya Train was derailed in Izamal, Yucatán, 67 kilometers from Merida, when it was heading for Cancun, local media reported. The convoy’s car was partially off the track, although no injuries or major damage were reported and according to the first reports it was caused by one of the road change operators. So far, the Train, run by the Secretary of Defense (Sedena) and opened for the first time on December 15, 2023, has not repo…
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