WILLARD, Ohio (AP) — Most of the estimated 425 familiesevacuated after a train derailment and
chemical spill were allowed toreturn home Thursday.About three dozen homes closest to the sceneof Tuesday
night’s derailment remained off-limits and residents couldbe out of their homes until late Friday, the city
said.Gov. JohnKasich was briefed in Willard by officials and visited with evacuatedfamilies having a
Thanksgiving dinner provided by the railroad at thehigh school.Kasich said the evacuation and cleanup had
been handled well and could serve as a model for emergency crews."Thepeople of Willard have handled
this very well, the first responders,the fire chief, the city manager and the company," Kasich said
beforeflying to Columbus for Thanksgiving dinner with his family."They are definitely on top of the
situation. They are really professionals," Kasich said in a phone interview.Anarea of more than 425
homes was evacuated after the train derailmentdamaged a railcar that leaked styrene monomer, a flammable
liquid thatis used to make various plastic and rubber products.No injuries were reported.Thecity
administration said air quality testing done by CSX Corp. andconfirmed by state and federal environmental
officials showed "onlyminor traces of the styrene in the air, well below danger level."Thefour
derailed cars were put back on the tracks early Thursday, said CSXspokesman Gary Sease, adding that clearing
the area would help with thecleanup.Crews worked to vacuum liquid and remove the affectedsoil in the area of
the spill in Willard, about 65 miles southwest ofCleveland.The cars derailed at the rail yard while
switchingtrains, and officials believe that’s when one car was damaged, accordingto Sease. The rail yard is
a key link for CSX freight trains runningbetween Chicago and the East Coast.An investigation into the cause
is ongoing, Sease said.Thedamaged car leaked about half of its 26,000 gallons of styrene monomer,he said.
The liquid dripped from a 4-inch hole for several hours beforeit was resealed.Representatives of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio EPA were monitoring the cleanup.Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.