New accident in Detroit

Norfolk Southern had been expected to send a representative, but later said in a statement it would not send any employees because of a "growing physical threat ... stemming from the increasing likelihood of the participation of outside parties".

Visibly angry, an exhausted Conaway said he would do "whatever it takes to make this right," but that he would need help.

"They screwed up our town," he added of the train company. "They're going to fix it."

On Thursday, another Norfolk Southern train derailed outside Detroit, Michigan, in the small community of Van Buren Township.

Of the overturned cars, one contained agricultural grain and the others were empty, the township's public safety department said on Facebook.

"The involved train had one railcar that contained liquid chlorine; however, it was located away from the overturned section," it said.

Agencies - Xinhua