WINDALCO Alumina Box Carts Derail in Clarendon

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has been advised that at 6:15 a.m., three box carts, attached to a train transporting alumina for WINDALCO, derailed at Scott’s Pass, Clarendon. The box carts are filled with alumina.
Two of the box carts overturned onto the ground while one of the three overturned into the Milk River.
The ODPEM has made contact with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) and the Clarendon and Manchester National Water Commission (NWC) offices, apprising them of the situation.
In response to the incident NEPA has dispatched their environmental officer in charge of the Milk River Watershed to assess the situation. WINDALCO is also responding to the incident and the NIC are taking action to secure their irrigation infrastructure in order to mitigate alumina flow into the Milk River.
The Manchester and Clarendon Parish Disaster Coordinators (PDCs) are also aware of the incident and have partially activated their local disaster response mechanisms to monitor the situation. The Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) is aware of and is monitoring the situation.
The public is advised to stay away from the area to facilitate the agencies’ speedy response to the situation. The public is also advised not to use water from the Milk River at this time until further notices have been given by the ODPEM.