MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A lawyer said he has filed a lawsuit on behalf of residents who were evacuated when a CSX train car carrying hazardous material derailed and caught fire in East Tennessee.
Maryville attorney Kevin Shepherd said Friday he filed the lawsuit in Blount County for a husband and wife who were evacuated with about 5,000 other people after the train car derailed late July 1. The car was carrying acrylonitrile, a hazardous material used in multiple industrial processes.
Shepherd said the couple was seeking compensation for evacuation expenses, but no specific monetary damages were mentioned. He said he will seek class action status for the lawsuit.
After the derailment, CSX set up an outreach center where residents could file for reimbursement for evacuation expenses. A CSX spokeswoman declined comment.
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