Authorities have set up an exclusion zone after a freight train carrying tens of thousands of gallons of sulfuric acid derailed in a remote area in northeast Australia Sunday. The 26-car freight train was carrying 53,000 gallons of the acid when it derailed around 10:20 a.m. near the town of Julia Creek in western Queensland, according to a statement from Queensland police. Three train staff members were treated for minor injuries sustained from the crash.
The area has been affected by heavy rains and flooding, so while it was easy to access the site, clean-up efforts have been difficult due to the highway adjacent to the site being cut off, according to the BBC.
Officials established a 1.2 mile exclusion zone around the site after declaring a state of emergency. Inspectors are now trying to determine how much damage the spill has caused to the environment, though they are optimistic since the remote location should limit it somewhat.
"It is some significant distance from major waterways and any major infrastructure, so we do have something going our way as far as that goes," said Inspector Trevor Kidd, according to the Associated Press. "But it is certainly challenging to make an effective assessment at this stage."
A spokesperson for Queensland Rail, the state's government-owned railway operator, said flooding has prevented its own staff from reaching the site and, therefore, has yet to determine the cause of the derailment or the extent of damage to the track.
The track is expected to remain closed for several days.
