A freight train carrying molten sulfur derailed at approximately 11:30 p.m.Jan. 16 in downtown Littleton, causing a non-hazardous chemical spill and disrupting light rail service at Littleton’s downtown station.

No injuries were reported.

The derailment marks the second in Littleton in 13 months.

The train was going 44 mph in a 45 mph zone, igniting numerous small flash fires beside the tracks, Littleton police said. The fires were quickly extinguished by firefighters.

There were three locomotives pulling the 68-car freight train bound from Bonneville, Wyo., to Galveston, Texas, according to Gus Melonas, spokesman for Burlington Northern/Santa Fe.

Three of the 17 cars carrying the chemical were punctured and expelled about 100 gallons of liquid sulfur that congealed in the cold air, according to Melonas.

Molten sulfur does not pose a risk to the public, according to Littleton’s HazMat Team Coordinator, Jim Olsen.

It emits a pungent odor typically described as a “rotten egg” smell, but is not toxic.

The only threat is the temperature of the chemical, which is higher than 260 degrees, Olsen said.

The sulfur is used to make matches, pesticides, and chemicals, Olsen said.

About 100 people, including BNSF employees, Littleton Fire/Rescue and the Littleton Police Department, responded to the accident and are involved in monitoring, cleanup and repair.

It has not been determined what caused the derailment or how much damage was caused.

Burlington Northern/Santa Fe’s HazMat team is monitoring chemical levels while clean-up takes place.

Light rail service between downtown Littleton and the Mineral Station has been suspended, since the freight tracks share a corridor with RTD light rail tracks.

RTD has been running a bus bridge to get passengers from Mineral, Littleton and Oxford Stations to the Englewood Station where they can board the northbound train.

RTD officials are anticipating track work taking up to 10 days.

On December 11, 2007 a southbound coal train derailed in the same corridor, approximately one-half mile south of the current derailment.