Baltimore roads reopened after train fire

BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- All major roadways to Baltimore were open again early Thursday, ending a day of gridlock that began when a train carrying hazardous materials caught fire in an underground tunnel.

Civil defense sirens sounded across the city Wednesday to warn residents of the possibly hazardous clouds of smoke that billowed into the sky. As firefighters donned protective gear to battle the afternoon blaze, thousands of baseball fans were turned away from the second game of a Baltimore Orioles doubleheader at Camden Yards.

Officials urged nearby residents to stay inside and avoid the smoke.

Baltimore Fire Battalion Chief Hector Torres said eight cars in the 60-car train were carrying hazardous materials, but it was not known if any of those cars were on fire.

VIDEO A train carrying hazardous material burns in Baltimore, forcing evacuations and emergency measures. CNN's Skip Loescher reports (July 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   RESOURCES Map of incident site

"Right now, there are no indications that there are hazardous materials (in the smoke) but we're not 100 percent sure, and are still taking precautions," The Associated Press quoted fire department Hector Torres as saying.

"They're trying to pinpoint the point of origin and find out what's involved here," he told CNN.

'Air quality has been OK'

CSX spokesman Rob Gould said various chemicals were on board the train, including hydrochloric acid and chemicals used in adhesives, de-icing and glass solvents.

The cars carrying the hazardous material are near the middle and end of the train, while most of the fire appears to be concentrated in the front of the train, Gould said.

"The other products on this train include wood products and other materials, so to assume that eight out of the 60 cars are on fire is really not a good assumption at this point," he said.

Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive material that can cause eye, skin and respiratory irritation.

"So far, all the air quality has been OK," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said. though he pointed out that "there's some really hazardous stuff" aboard the train.

"If we erred on the side of caution, everybody will have to hold me accountable for the traffic disruption," O'Malley said.

At one point all roads leading into the city were closed. But as of 12:40 a.m. EDT, only one Interstate 395 exit remained closed.

At least two firefighters suffered minor injuries, officials said.

Early reports were wrong

CSX Corp. spokeswoman Kathy Burns could not confirm that the train had derailed in the tunnel, but said, "an emergency brake application" occurred at 3:10 p.m. EDT. The train crew then detached the locomotives and got away from the train, Burns said.

Earlier reports by a local television station that hydrofluoric acid was aboard the train were wrong, according to John Vericco with the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Smoke clouds Oriole Park baseball stadium at Camden Yards

"Whether or not the hydrochloric acid or any of the other chemicals on board have leaked or have been involved in the fire remains to be seen," he said. "We can't tell that until the fire is under control enough that we can get our crews inside."

Torres said firefighters were working very cautiously in the tunnel, and would probably be on the scene "through the morning."

"We have to be concerned about each individual chemical and the possibility that several different chemicals may be involved," Torres said. "That causes major problems for us because we don't know what the characteristics of a mixture of those chemicals would do."