CSX Train Fire; Arraignment Set In Missouri; Baghdad Bombing
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.</s>TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Spend a second hour in the NEWSROOM this morning and stay informed. Here's what's on the rundown. Kentucky train wreck, touching off a spectacular fire this morning. Tanker cars put off, choking black smoke. So thick airplane flights are actually diverted.</s>COLLINS: Insurgents in Iraq launching wave after wave of attacks today. Car bombs at a university, a marketplace shooting, dozens killed and wounded.</s>HARRIS: His case could but Vice President Dick Cheney in the witness chair. Former aide, Scooter Libby, on trial today. Tuesday, January 16th. You are in the NEWSROOM. And quickly now let's get to TJ Holmes in the CNN NEWSROOM with the latest information on this train derailment in Brooks, Kentucky. TJ, give us a complete reset on this story if you would, please.</s>TJ HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right. We'll do this for you here, Tony. This is in Brooks, Kentucky, just south of Louisville. Not far south. We've been watching this for a little over an hour where there has been some kind of a crash and then explosion of a train and several cars are on fire. There are tankers there. The issue has been trying to figure outs exactly what's on those tankers and what is causing this fire to burn the way it is. You can see this just unbelievable scene. This black, black smoke has been going into the air, just like we're watching here. And it's been doing this for the past hour. We've been watching these live pictures and the fire doesn't appear, at least as how we've been watching it the past hour, to be getting any smaller. It's been about the same size. A huge, huge fire. Now the emergency officials are telling us now that schools in the area are being evacuated. There was some kind of possible inhalation risk, even though we do not know at this point exactly what was on those tankers. Emergency officials themselves are trying to figure out what's on those tankers. This train was operated by CSX, this company, one of the largest railroad haulers in the country, we heard from our Ali Velshi a short time ago. But you're getting a better idea here with this wide shot of the area. A fairly rural area, but certainly some structures and whatnot in the area. A few homes on either side of this road. We do know that I-65, the highway in this area, has been shut down. And also flights from Louisville International Airport are being sent in different directions so they don't have to contend with this smoke. At this point, we don't know about any injuries. Or no reports, I should say, of any injuries to go along with this railroad crash, but this is the scene. Again, we've been looking at this for a full hour, guys, and the fire doesn't appear to be getting any smaller. You see water coming from the screen of your screen and a little from the bottom there, firefighters trying their best to get a handle on this thing. But there's a risk to them now as well, they've got enough of an issue trying to just deal with these flames. But they don't know what they may be inhaling right now. Officials there, emergency officials, trying to figure out what is burning like this. CSX, the company that operates, even though they said they didn't exactly know what the contents were in those tankers, they are at least telling officials that we do believe that possibly whatever is on there does pose some kind of inhalation risk. So we're keeping an eye on this thing. A lot of questions here. But evacuations are underway. So certainly emergency officials in the area taking this very seriously, taking all the precautions and getting people out of there until they figure out exactly what's going on and exactly what people may be inhaling and how dangerous it may be right now. Tony.</s>HARRIS: TJ, thank you. That's a great update. Thank you.</s>COLLINS: Want to go ahead and attempt to get some more information now as we continue to look at these live pictures coming to us from Books, Kentucky. As we have been saying, we do know that this train is operated by CSX. So our next guest is a great person to have. He actually investigated train derailments for Conrail. That company has been purchased by CSX. So Rick Whitley is joining us now, a former Conrail terminal superintendent. And, Rick, if you could, let us know why this is -- and maybe we're being a little impatient here, but we have been looking at these pictures for an hour -- how difficult is it to find out what is in these cars and what is being transported here?</s>RICK WHITLEY, FORMER CONRAIL TERMINAL SUPERINTENDENT: Well, as soon as there's a derailment, the first thing they do is take the train</s>COLLINS: OK. Tell us, once again, what exactly you do or did, I should say, as a former terminal superintendent, as far as investigating train derailments?</s>WHITLEY: Well, besides running the railroad, when we would have an incident of this nature, we would dispatch various crews, fire department personnel, hazardous material personnel, along with myself, management, to ascertain and take care of the crew and any surrounding area to save lives.</s>COLLINS: Rick, does it seem strange to you then, given the information that we have just put out, but you saying that most likely through their computer system and good records that they keep on their cargo, that they would possibly have known within five minutes what is being carried here, that they are not talking to those crews on the ground by way of containing this and what types of chemicals or materials they should be using to extinguish the flames.</s>WHITLEY: Well, they should be. I don't understand why they haven't told the fire department and the fire department can look at those tank cars and there's placards on those tank cars with a number on it. If it's loaded with hazardous material, they refer to the hazardous material rate, 224, which tells them what that is and how to handle it, whether to use water, get away and just let it burn. Right now, I would evacuate that whole area and let it burn.</s>COLLINS: Well, we should -- and it is important to mention that there have been some evacuations in place. Certainly we know of an elementary school, Brooks Elementary School, that has been evacuated. I-65 shut down and some other areas have been evacuated. So in all fairness, we should say that. Is it possible, Rick, because they are using water and because they are -- you know it looks like anyway, getting as close as they can to this, that those materials inside may not be hazardous?</s>WHITLEY: Well, it's possible. But when you have a tank car, and I've seen several of them, they're placarded anyway because even empty there's a residual amount of whatever they have. And if they have propane in there, that's a bomb. That thing can -- after it burns for a while, the tank metal weakens, it</s>COLLINS: So what typically happens? Again, we should point out that we have been watching this for about an hour now and it really -- it does not seem to be slowing as far as the burn and that smoke we see come off of that. What typically happens once they get this contained, get people out of the way? Talk to us a bit, if you would, and we may be getting ahead of ourselves a little bit here, but by way of investigation as to what happened in the first place.</s>WHITLEY: Well, that's what the next phase of the investigation would be. But, again, looking to the tank car, and this is about the amount of time it takes for one of those cars to blevie. So any minute that thing could actually blow. But back to you questions was, the first thing you start doing on the investigation side is to pull the tapes on the train, see if the crew was speeding, if there's any kind of crew problem. The crews are tested. The car department looks at the cars to ascertain if there was any problems with the cars. The track department looks at the railroad track and comes up with the actual point the derailment occurred. And then they start eliminating the problems there to determine what the cause was.</s>COLLINS: And quickly, because, Rick, you've had quite a bit of experience with derailments here, as we look at these three pictures that are up on our screen, this looks big to me and it looks like it is just not giving in, if you will, to everything that they're using. What does it look like to you by way of severity? You're saying this could go at any moment and you mean explode at any moment.</s>WHITLEY: Yes. See that pack (ph) by the tank car right there? That big white one.</s>COLLINS: Right.</s>WHITLEY: That's probably propane or empty propane. It could, however, be some other chemical in there. It depends on how the placarded it. But the best scenario here would be to -- that guy on that ladder is -- his life is in danger. He should be out of there and let the thing burn.</s>COLLINS: Can you tell us a little bit more, Rick, and again don't want to speculate here because we just don't have confirmation on what is the cargo on this particular train, Butedane (ph), what more do we know about that or how can you explain to us what that chemical is?</s>WHITLEY: Well, I'm without my hazardous material book handy. It's a federal guidebook which tells you everything that's hazardous material. It's a red book. You're required to have it by law. And every official in the railroad and dispatcher, alone with the fire departments, all have that same book. That's what they need to be looking up right now to determine what that is and how you handle it if it is a backed (ph) on fire.</s>COLLINS: Yes, well, and it certainly looks like a frightening situation from what we are seeing here. And again, working very hard to try and confirm what that cargo is as we speak with Rick Whitley. He is a former Conrail terminal superintendent, investigated trail derailments for Conrail, which as we have said, has been purchased by CSX. And we do know that CSX is the operator of this particular train that has derailed in Brooks, Kentucky. Rick, thank you so much for your insight. We'll continue to check back with you, if that's all right with you, as we get more information here.</s>HARRIS: And we are just learning, this just in to CNN, much anticipated, expected in fact, that Illinois Senator Barack Obama will take the first steps toward a run for the presidential nomination, Democratic presidential nomination in '08 by forming an exploratory committee. The first step in the process for the run for the presidency in '08. Our Dana Bash is reporting that Senator Barack Obama will form an exploratory committee. The first step in a likely run for the presidency. We will continue to follow this story and get Dana Bash up in just a second with more details on her breaking news at this hour. In Missouri, the deepening mystery of the kidnapped boys. Detectives outside St. Louis have two assignments. First and foremost, building a case against the man suspected of snatching them off the streets. Then, filling in the blanks. How did one boy spend four and a half years in captivity? There may be clues on the Internet. CNN's Chris Lawrence is in Union, Missouri. Chris, what's happening outside of the courthouse. I understand we may have a date set for the arraignment of Michael Devlin.</s>CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do, Tony, and it is going to be Thursday at 8:30 in the morning right here in Union, Missouri. We've taken a look now at the affidavit and we just spoke with the prosecutor and the sheriff. That arraignment will be a video arraignment for security reasons. The prosecutor is going to do a video arraignment, meaning that Michael Devlin will not leave the jail. He'll be arraigned via a camera remotely. I also spoke with the sheriff who told me that, because of all the coverage, that a significant witness came forward on Sunday and he is now in the process of trying to interview and get more information from that witness. He expects his investigation to continue over the next few days. Tony.</s>HARRIS: All right, our Chris Lawrence. And, Chris, once again, the news this hour is that the arraignment is scheduled this Thursday morning.</s>LAWRENCE: That's correct, 8:30 in the morning.</s>HARRIS: OK. Great. Chris Lawrence for us. Chris, appreciate it. Thank you.</s>COLLINS: And more breaking news this hour now from Baghdad. Gunmen on motorcycles, a series of bombings, including a massive double bombing near a university. Dozens of people dead or wounded. Our Michael Holmes has details now live from Baghdad. And, Michael, we are hearing some new information about a bomb in a parked car and possibly a suicide bomber on foot. Can you clear up the latest details?</s>MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly what appears to have happened. That Mustinsiriya (ph) University, Heidi, in northeastern Baghdad. Initially authorities were saying it was two car bombs. Now we're learning that one of these explosions was caused by a suicide bomber on foot, the other was a car bomb under a pedestrian bridge near the main gate. The suicide bomber was outside the back gate. The car outside the front gate. Coordinated. They both went off at pretty much the same time. So a very coordinated attack and it happened just as students and faculty were leaving the university. The latest death toll we have is 60 people have been killed and 110 have been wounded. These numbers have been going up every few minutes, I have to say, Heidi. It was indeed a massive blast. The pictures certainly bear that out. This happened in an area about a mile outside of Sadr City, which, as you know, is the headquarters of Muqtada al-Sadr, the head of the Mehdi army, one of the most problematic of the militias in this city. After the explosion, Mehdi militiamen were there, alongside police in fact, securing the area. Now, interestingly, the motorcycle attack you mentioned also occurred in an area controlled by the Mehdi army. Gunmen on motorcycles riding into a busy marketplace and opening fire literally at random. They killed 10 civilians and seven others were wounded. They are the latest figures we have. And this came a few hours, all of this, after a series of other bombs went off. Twenty people killed, 80 wounded in that. The death toll in Baghdad certainly a somber one this day. Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Michael, and just quickly want to clear this up and make sure I understood you correctly. We are talking about the Mehdi army here, Muqtada al-Sadr's militia. And I understood you just say that they were in the streets after this bombing at the university, trying to also secure the area side by side with police?</s>M. HOLMES: Indeed. And there's long been an accusation against Iraqi security forces that they have been infiltrated by militiamen belonging to the Mehdi army. It was interesting. We had a producer down there on the streets, a CNN producer, and he said that when police came in to secure the area and start removing the dead and the wounded, many militia men appeared on the streets as well, blocking cars from coming in. So, yes, they were certainly on the streets and a presence, Heidi.</s>COLLINS: All right. Michael Holmes, we know you'll continue to watch the situation from a very safe distance indeed.</s>M. HOLMES: Yes.</s>COLLINS: Live from Baghdad today. Michael, thanks.</s>HARRIS: And still to come this morning, high wire act. Ice coats east Texas, bringing down power line. A miserable cold blast is what it is, in the</s>NEWSROOM. COLLINS: A high profile chase in court today. The vice president's former chief of staff on trial. The case, the charges and potential testimony from Dick Cheney. A live report in the</s>NEWSROOM. HARRIS: And back to these live pictures. I believe these are live pictures right now out of Brooks, Kentucky. A train derailment in Brooks leading to the evacuation of a nearby school, homes in the area. We've been watching this for the last hour. We just heard from Rick Whitley, a former Conrail terminal superintendent, saying that the firefighters who may be working on this fire now -- there we go to the live pictures -- really need to stand clear of this area until there is a clear determination what was in those cars, what is burning. Look at those live pictures. We'll update the story on the other side of the break. You are in the</s>NEWSROOM. COLLINS: And the Duke lacrosse case in question. The focus now on the district attorney, as much as the case itself. We'll take a look in the NEWSROOM.