VIDEO: Union Pacific apologized Thursday for the disruption it caused after one of its trains that was hauling lumber, chemicals, and other materials derailed, and subsequently caught fire, while crossing a bridge over Tempe Town Lake the day prior, and said it intended to repair the bridge and to eventually resume its operations.
Valley Metro was also able to resume light rail operations on Thursday afternoon. The light rail does not use the same bridge nor rail that the Union Pacific train was on. That line is primarily used for cargo trains.
Crews were also able to successfully contain the chemical leak from one of the railcars that fell into a dry bed when part of the bridge collapsed, said Tempe Fire Chief Greg Ruiz during a Thursday afternoon press conference.
That tank was leaking a chemical called cyclohexane, which is a flammable chemical sometimes used to make nylon or used as a paint thinner.