Overview
- A weekend blaze at a Dunnellon site storing creosote-treated railroad ties was contained Sunday, with smoke lingering but no evacuations ordered.
- County officials estimate 30,000 to 40,000 ties burned after removal efforts had already transported about 16,500 ties off-site and reached roughly 20% completion.
- The Marion County Commission approved filing an injunction to hold involved parties accountable and to obtain a court order to remove remaining ties.
- CSX owns the property and Track Line Rail owns the ties, and both received city code violations related to storage and removal requirements.
- State agencies have taken over the investigation, with FDEP monitoring air and collecting soil samples and planning remediation, including soil removal to uncontaminated depth.