An explosion at the CSX Curtis Bay Coal Terminal in Baltimore on Thursday morning rocked the area.
The cause of the incident, which occurred at 11:30 a.m. local time, is under investigation, CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) spokesperson Cindy Schild told FreightWaves. All employees have been accounted for and there were no injuries as a result of this incident, she said.
According to local media reports and tweets from nearby residents, the explosion could be felt from several miles away.
Local fire and police departments responded to the explosion, and they are working with CSX to determine the cause of the incident. The Batimore City Fire Department has confirmed that no gases have been detected from the site, and the fire department is seeking to secure an on-site air quality test from the Maryland Department of the Environment, according to Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter.
According to CSX’s website, CSX has invested over $60 million in its Baltimore coal-handling complex in recent years. The terminal has an annual throughput capacity of 14 million tons. It primarily handles coal from Northern Appalachia, but it also handles coal from Central and Southern Appalachia, the Illinois Basin and the Powder River Basin.
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