A freight train carrying 80 tons of sulfuric acid came off the line in Ate Vitarte on Tuesday morning.

According to TV station Frecuencia Latina, two train cars derailed at around 8:30 am, at kilometer marker 8.5 on the country’s Central Highway.

According to RPP, sulfuric acid from one of the train cars spilled onto an uninhabited house nearby.

However, local authorities ruled out any risk from exposure to the chemicals, and said the support team was working in the area without any protection, Frecuencia Latina said.

The cause of the derailment is not yet known, but local media speculated that bolts stolen from the railroad tracks could be to blame.

Employees from the Ferrovía Central Andina arrived on site shortly after to begin repairs, ATV reported. Repair work is expected to take 24 hours.

 

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