Lawsuit alleges negligence in train derailment and chemical fire that forced residents from homes

A lawsuit filed in federal court is alleging negligence by CSX Transportation caused a train derailment and chemical fire that forced residents of a Kentucky town from their homes just before the Thanksgiving holiday. The train derailed Nov. 22 near Livingston, and residents who evacuated could only return to their homes that Thursday after the fire was extinguished. A CSX investigation found the derailment occurred after a wheel bearing on a train car failed. The lawsuit filed Wednesday said the derailment could have been prevented if CSX had monitored the train’s wheel bearings more closely. CSX said it is reviewing the allegations.