Hazmat train derailment exercise in Argos Friday & Saturday

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security will conduct a full-scale exercise in Argos later this week. The training will simulate a train derailment and HAZMAT leak on the Norfolk Southern railway.

This is a regional training, and those traveling through Argos on Friday and/or Saturday should not be alarmed if they see increased emergency vehicles or First Aid tents near the train tracks or the fairgrounds. There is NO emergency, and NO chemicals are being released.

This HAZMAT hands-on safety training for Marshall County and regional officials on how to act in case a train derails with hazardous materials.

Last year, Marshall County hosted a train derailment tabletop discussion at Seasons Banquet Center with emergency responders coming from as far away as Fort Wayne. Participants planned what they would do if a train derailment occurred. The East Palestine, OH derailment is a prominent example and resulted in air pollution, contaminated water, and long-term health concerns for residents.

The plans from 2024 will be put to the test during this week’s hands-on exercise, where local and regional safety officials will simulate in real-time what they would do during a train derailment situation.

This intensive two-day exercise has emergency responders physically handling the train derailment on the first day, and on the second day, they will focus on the community and economic recovery. The second day, they will also recap with officials what worked correctly and changes they might need to make to their plan.

While the possibility of a train derailment happening is very low, the impact on a community would be immense, emphasizing the importance of always having a plan and strategic decision-making under pressure.