About 100 homes in the small town of Lawtell, La., were evacuated this weekend after a train carrying sodium hydroxide and other chemicals derailed, CBS News reported.
The 26-car Union Pacific train derailed Sunday afternoon, spilling potentially hazardous chemicals. Crews dug ditches to contain the spills. Homes within a 1-mile radius were evacuated as a precaution, according to the story.
"Anytime you have chemicals leaking into the environment, that's a serious issue," Gov. Bobby Jindal said Sunday night after declaring a state of emergency. "Nobody knows the extent of the damage. We'll get that in the next 24 hours."
