GASSED: The True Story of a Toxic Train Derailment

Ron Scholl
  • 0.0 (0)
  • History
  • Series

The tragic story of the 1996 Alberton, Montana, train crash and the largest release of chlorine gas in US railroad history. One train rider is killed, while hundreds are acutely injured. Many will suffer chronic symptoms for years to come, and seek justice for their toxic exposure.

  1. Episode 2

    Part I Chapter 1 "Dark Territory"

    When their freight train crashes outside Alberton, Montana, two Montana Rail Link engineers, as well as transients on the train, struggle for their lives in the face of a massive cloud of chlorine gas. Pictured: Spill to Petty Creek

  2. Episode 3

    Part 1 Chapter 2 "Flash"

    The chemistry of liquid chlorine converting to a gas dictates how the gas spreads, and drivers on the highway are among the first to encounter the toxic cloud. Pictured: Jack Rabbit II test. Photograph courtesy Andrew Byrnes, Utah Valley University, 2016.

  3. Episode 4

    Part 1 Chapter 3 "Back to Nature" / Chapter 4 "Worst-Case Scenario"

    We take a brief pause for some backstory. First, we drop in on a resident of Alberton, Lucinda Hodges, who has found a life for her family amid the history and beauty of western Montana—a life abruptly threatened by a chlorine gas cloud. We also examine how well responders are  prepared for a worst-case scenario.

  4. Episode 5

    Part 1 Chapter 5 "Alarm"

    In the first hour of the spill, 911 is overwhelmed and emergency responders are sent to the wrong location. Pictured: Petty Creek to Huson

  5. Episode 6

    Part 1 Chapter 6 "Gassed" part 1

    A cloud of toxic gas overcomes the town of Alberton, Montana. Pictured: Spill to Petty Creek

  6. Episode 7

    Part 1 Chapter 6 "Gassed" part 2

    The conclusion of the initial evacuation of the Alberton area from a toxic chlorine gas release. Pictured: Cyr to Frenchtown

  7. Episode 8

    Part 1 "Expansion" Chapter 7 "Recon" / Chapter 8 "Expansion"

    The Missoula Hazmat team conducts a recon to find the spill site, still not knowing its location; meanwhile, the gas continues to expand to the east, prompting more evacuations. Pictured: gas cloud near Alberton, Montana.

  8. Episode 9

    Part 1 Chapter 9 "Entry" / Chapter 10 "Drift"

    The Missoula Hazmat team finally enters the spill site, along with a team from MRL, who have already been there. Meanwhile, the gas still drifts, causing more late evacuations. Pictured: site illustration of tank cars

See All (68)

Trailer

About

The tragic story of the 1996 Alberton, Montana, train crash and the largest release of chlorine gas in US railroad history. One train rider is killed, while hundreds are acutely injured. Many will suffer chronic symptoms for years to come, and seek justice for their toxic exposure.

Information