Railroad cars leaking liquid carbon dioxide relocated

Two railroad train tanker cars that were leaking carbon dioxide Monday have were relocated Tuesday to the Praxair Inc. welding gas and supply company facility in Benicia, a fire division chief said this morning.

The rail cars containing liquid carbon dioxide were venting carbon dioxide as a gas in the area of 200 East Industrial Way on Monday evening, Benicia Fire Division Chief K.C. Smith said.

The rail cars remained upright and on the railroad track, and the release of carbon dioxide gas posed no danger to life, property or the environment, Smith said.

Crews with the Benicia Fire Department, Solano County Environmental Health, Praxair and Union Pacific Railroad monitored the gas leak throughout Monday evening and are determining the cause of the leak, Smith said.

The two cars were on a spur of the railroad track when firefighters responded to the leak around 5 p.m. Monday, Smith said.

A spokesperson for Praxair was not available for comment this morning. The company provides welding gases for metal fabrication.