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Detour in place for Highway 21 after train derailment in northern Beaufort County

A detour at Frampton and Castle Hall roads due to a train derailment near Yemassee seen on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023.
A detour at Frampton and Castle Hall roads due to a train derailment near Yemassee seen on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023.

A detour is in place for Highway 21, Frampton Road, after a CSX train derailed near the Beaufort County and Hampton County line, damaging the highway’s bridge crossing the tracks just before 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Two hopper cars and one loaded flat car were derailed from the train. There were no injuries and the contents of the train were not hazardous, according to the CSX media team.

Engineers from the S.C. Department of Transportation later determined the bridge over the railroad would need to be replaced, according to a press release from SCDOT Wednesday afternoon. The detour will continue until the replacement is finished, but the department did not offer a timeline for repairs.

SCDOT engineers are replacing a bridge near Highway 21 after a train derailment damaged the structure Wednesday morning.
SCDOT engineers are replacing a bridge near Highway 21 after a train derailment damaged the structure Wednesday morning. SCDOT

“SCDOT is taking immediate action in the aftermath of today’s train derailment,” the department’s Secretary of Transportation Cristy Hall wrote in a statement. “I have asked our team to pursue an emergency procurement to expedite the replacement of this bridge. We will move as quickly as possible to get this corridor reopened to vehicular traffic.”

The South Carolina Department of Transportation is asking drivers heading to or from Yemassee to take Castle Hall Road instead of Highway 21.

Motorist are asked to take Castle Hall Road and to avoid Highway 21. Provided
Motorist are asked to take Castle Hall Road and to avoid Highway 21. Provided SCDOT

This story was originally published September 20, 2023 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Detour in place for Highway 21 after train derailment in northern Beaufort County."

Sebastian Lee
The Island Packet
Sebastian Lee covers Beaufort County for The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2022. If he’s not working he’s most likely watching a good movie or spinning a record.
Evan McKenna
The Island Packet
Evan is a breaking news reporter for The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. A Tennessee native and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he reports on crime and safety across Beaufort and Jasper counties. For tips or story ideas, email emckenna@islandpacket.com or call 843-321-8375.
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