Baltimore to pull last derailed train car from tunnel

The Baltimore Orioles postponed several games at Camden Yards because of smoke and fumes, but finally got in a game on Saturday

BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Officials hope to fix a water main break Monday that has flooded city streets after they remove late Sunday the two remaining cars from a train that derailed in a downtown Baltimore tunnel.

The city has been cleaning up from the soupy, sooty mess since Wednesday when a 60-car CSX train carrying hazardous materials derailed, sending thick, black smoke billowing from a downtown tunnel, snarling traffic and forcing the cancellation of baseball games for two nights at nearby Camden Yards.

Workers removed two burning cars from the tunnel by Sunday afternoon and expected to remove the remaining two cars before midnight, said Hector Torres, a spokesman for the city fire department.

None of the cars removed Sunday carried the hazardous materials. The cars carrying the chemicals were removed Saturday.

RESOURCES Map of incident site

"Things are much, much better," said Tony White, a spokesman for Mayor Martin O'Malley. "The danger to public safety has been eliminated."

Morning commuters could still face some hassles because city streets around the tunnel remained closed because of the cleanup operation and the water main break.

Heat from the tunnel fire caused a 40-inch water main to rupture, said White. He said authorities won't be able to fix the main until the tunnel is fully inspected and cleared, which officials expect to happen sometime Monday.

Complicating the effort to fix the water main is the fact that it uses a larger valve size that is manufactured today, White said.

Authorities shut off the flow of water in the immediate area Sunday, but said it had a minimal effect because most businesses were closed anyway.

Ballgames have resumed at Camden Yards.

The rail line is used only for commercial traffic, said CSX spokesman Rob Gould, who added the accident has put a "crimp" in the railroad's eastern service. He said the line is as important to CSX as Interstate 95 is to vehicle traffic.

An average of 26 trains travel through the tunnel daily, he said. That traffic has been moved to other railroad lines in the meantime.