Rail traffic has resumed over Lake Greenwood after an early-week CSX train derailment that dumped roughly 5,000 pounds of sodium borate onto the ground.
Sodium borate—commonly known as Borax—is an ingredient used in laundry detergents.
Deputy County Manager of Operations for Greenwood County, Rob Russian, provided an update Friday morning and reassured area residents and boaters that the environmental impact on the lake was fully avoided.
According to CSX, crews cleared the powder from the land before any runoff could reach the water. Environmental containment booms and turbidity curtains remain in place around the railroad trestle as a precaution while site work concludes.
"We were very, very fortunate through this whole incident," said Russian. "This all happened in such close proximity to the lake and the water."
Crews completed pile-driving operations on the damaged lower railroad trestle earlier this week, allowing train traffic to safely resume crossing the bridge.However, CSX crews remain on-site in Laurens County to finalize the removal of derailed cars.
Seventeen cars fell off the tracks early Monday morning.
For boaters, only one elevated opening of the trestle is currently open for boat passage. Boaters must obey all posted warning signs and do not pass between the "Boats Keep Out" buoys and the trestle.
The official cause of Monday's derailment remains under investigation.
