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On July 14, 1991, a Southern Pacific train derailed at the
Cantara Loop near Mt. Shasta, CA, spilling ~19,000 gallons of the soil fumigant metam sodium
(not sodium bromide) into the Sacramento River. The toxic chemical
created a 41-mile plume, killing all aquatic life to Lake Shasta and
poisoning residents in Dunsmuir.Key Aspects of the 1991 Cantara Loop Spill:
- The Chemical: Metam sodium (specifically a soil fumigant/herbicide) was released, which released toxic methylisothiocyanate (MITC) gas upon contact with water, note USGS (.gov) and PubMed.
- Environmental Impact: The spill caused one of California's worst environmental disasters, killing all fish, insects, and vegetation along a 40-to-45-mile stretch of the river, say Dunsmuir Parks and EBSCO.
- Human Health & Safety: Hundreds of residents in Dunsmuir and surrounding areas suffered symptoms including nausea, headaches, and eye irritation from the noxious fumes.
- Aftermath: The river's ecosystem took several years to recover, with significant cleanup and restoration efforts following the $38 million settlement paid by Southern Pacific, note Active NorCal.
The
site of the disaster, the Cantara Loop, is a series of sharp, dangerous
curves, which were believed to cause the train's tanker car to derail.
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