A railroad tanker car derailed in Clinton on Tuesday and came dangerously close to flattening a nearby house — which was occupied at the time. The empty car nearly fell into the home of Marion and Terri Beecher while they were home at midday. The train car had gone off the tracks, smashed into their fence and came to rest against the trees only a few feet from their home.
The car was headed to the Archer Daniels Midland plant. They claim they had complained to the company and the railroad operator for months about the poor condition of the tracks. ADM has purchased about 200 south Clinton homes in the past few years to make room for expansion of the facility, including a co-generation power plant and a plastics plant.
ADM has proposed closing a portion of South 4th Street and moving the tracks where the street is located, a plan that has drawn opposition from residents. The street and track relocation will be the subject of a public hearing at next Tuesday’s Clinton City Council meeting.