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As downtown Baltimore returned to normal yesterday, federal investigators gathered evidence that could implicate a water main rupture in last Wednesday's train derailment, a theory that prompted a forceful defense from city officials.
Freight trains resumed service through the Howard Street Tunnel, and CSX officials said they would not hesitate to transport hazardous materials.
The cars in the derailed train withstood tremendous heat, which "proves that these cars clearly afford a very safe way to transport hazardous material products," said CSX spokesman Robert Gould.
At a news conference last night, a National Transportation Safety Board official said investigators had retrieved "earthy material" from the tops of some of the train cars yesterday, an unusual find that could be related to the water main break.
City officials expressed displeasure yesterday that the NTSB had speculated publicly about a possible link between the water main break and the derailment and tunnel fire.
"Quite frankly, I think they're trying to increase the intrigue surrounding their investigation, and they're doing it at our expense, and we're not going to stand for it," mayoral spokesman Tony White said before the NTSB news conference.
The stakes are high in determining the cause of the accident. If CSX is found at fault, it and its insurance carriers would presumably be liable for much of the associated costs; if the water main break is to blame, the city would be responsible.
Mayor Martin O'Malley was to meet with CSX officials today, as requested by the company, to discuss liability for the accident, which closed streets, businesses and much of downtown for days.
City officials called a news conference yesterday afternoon to lay out evidence that they believe shows that the water main break did not cause the derailment.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Hector L. Torres pointed to a chart showing that water flow was steady until about 6:20 p.m. - more than three hours after the derailment - when it spiked. City officials say that is evidence of when the water main burst. Officials handed over that data to the NTSB on Monday afternoon.
"Obviously, we had fire conditions and then a water main break," said Torres. "You can draw whatever conclusions you want from that."
Like an attorney showing evidence to a jury, Torres displayed an enlargement of a CSX track inspection from the day before the accident. "It is important to note that there are no defects noted the day before this incident occurs," he said.
City officials said that in response to an NTSB request, they checked for any earlier reports of leaks at the Howard and Lombard street location, and that they had found none in the past three years. A leak was reported - and fixed - in January in a different water line a block to the south, at Howard and Pratt streets, officials said.
NTSB investigators said they are still looking at whether the water main at Howard and Lombard streets might have been leaking before the accident.
'Earthy material'
NTSB lead investigator Jay Kivowitz said "earthy material" retrieved from the tops of three railroad cars might provide clues to the cause. The cars were 240 feet north of the water main break.
Kivowitz said similar material, which investigators would not further describe, was found near the water main, raising the possibility that falling debris might have landed on the train and played a role in the accident.
"Did this material get on the equipment because of the resulting accident and fire or water, or did it cause the accident?" he said. "We just got the material today. We really don't know."
Investigators confiscated a discolored, 11-by-25-inch piece of the water main.
Freight trains resumed service through the Howard Street Tunnel, and CSX officials said they would not hesitate to transport hazardous materials.
At a news conference last night, a National Transportation Safety Board official said investigators had retrieved "earthy material" from the tops of some of the train cars yesterday, an unusual find that could be related to the water main break.
City officials expressed displeasure yesterday that the NTSB had speculated publicly about a possible link between the water main break and the derailment and tunnel fire.
"Quite frankly, I think they're trying to increase the intrigue surrounding their investigation, and they're doing it at our expense, and we're not going to stand for it," mayoral spokesman Tony White said before the NTSB news conference.
The stakes are high in determining the cause of the accident. If CSX is found at fault, it and its insurance carriers would presumably be liable for much of the associated costs; if the water main break is to blame, the city would be responsible.
Mayor Martin O'Malley was to meet with CSX officials today, as requested by the company, to discuss liability for the accident, which closed streets, businesses and much of downtown for days.
City officials called a news conference yesterday afternoon to lay out evidence that they believe shows that the water main break did not cause the derailment.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Hector L. Torres pointed to a chart showing that water flow was steady until about 6:20 p.m. - more than three hours after the derailment - when it spiked. City officials say that is evidence of when the water main burst. Officials handed over that data to the NTSB on Monday afternoon.
"Obviously, we had fire conditions and then a water main break," said Torres. "You can draw whatever conclusions you want from that."
Like an attorney showing evidence to a jury, Torres displayed an enlargement of a CSX track inspection from the day before the accident. "It is important to note that there are no defects noted the day before this incident occurs," he said.
City officials said that in response to an NTSB request, they checked for any earlier reports of leaks at the Howard and Lombard street location, and that they had found none in the past three years. A leak was reported - and fixed - in January in a different water line a block to the south, at Howard and Pratt streets, officials said.
NTSB investigators said they are still looking at whether the water main at Howard and Lombard streets might have been leaking before the accident.
Kivowitz said similar material, which investigators would not further describe, was found near the water main, raising the possibility that falling debris might have landed on the train and played a role in the accident.
"Did this material get on the equipment because of the resulting accident and fire or water, or did it cause the accident?" he said. "We just got the material today. We really don't know."
Investigators confiscated a discolored, 11-by-25-inch piece of the water main.
