A freight train derailment and explosion in Columbus near the Ohio State Fairgrounds forced authorities to evacuate a mile-wide area of the city to contain the blaze and determine what's burning. Norfolk Southern says it appears about 11 cars of a southbound train derailed around 2 a.m. near Interstate 71, southeast of the Ohio State University campus. It happened along Fields Avenue, and officials are unsure what caused the crash. A photographer who was in the area says he was more than 10 miles away in New Albany when he saw something illuminate the sky. He says he went to the scene to take photos and noticed a chemical smell in addition to the smoke. The cars contained agricultural products, including ethanol. A fire official says two people were injured, but no details were available. COTA has a facility in the area, and riders experienced delays as fewer buses are available today. Rumpke also operates a facility nearby, and the company says there could be delays in today's collections. Jo Ingles has more on this morning's derailment.
Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.
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