Runaway rail car leads to safety rules review

For a time Wednesday morning, the difference between disaster and a normal day in Las Vegas was hitched to a runaway train tanker loaded with hazardous chlorine gas.

The tanker, which escaped the Arden train yard, south of state Route 160, picked up speed and cut a 20-mile swath through the urban heart of Clark County, racing west of the resort corridor and past densely populated neighborhoods around the Union Pacific tracks.

It finally came to rest in North Las Vegas after Union Pacific maintenance workers boarded the tanker, activated the hand brake and ended the threat of an accidental release of poisonous gas.

"Las Vegas dodged a bullet there," said Steve Calanog, the Environmental Protection Agency's chief of emergency response for the Southwest region. "Had the train car released its contents in a residential area, the results could have been tragic."

Clark County and Las Vegas officials were appalled when details of the incident emerged Wednesday and Thursday.

Clark County Manager Virginia Valentine said she didn't receive a call from a railroad executive until hours after the tanker was stopped.

Union Pacific Railroad officials on Friday announced measures to prevent similar incidents.

To prevent cars from escaping the Arden train yard, Union Pacific is placing anchor cars at the north end of every track, with hand brakes applied. A statement from the company said that will prevent unattached cars from rolling out of the yard.

Locomotives will be used to move hazardous material cars as trains are being assembled. All such cars must be secured before the locomotive is disconnected.

The company will conduct a review of its emergency notification procedures to prevent a recurrence of the confusion in communicating with local authorities.

MONDAY

Storms cause flooding, fires

A series of fierce morning thunderstorms lashed the Las Vegas Valley with heavy rain and lightning strikes that sent firefighters responding to about two dozen water rescues and as many fires.

No one was seriously injured, although several motorists escaped their vehicles and were rescued by firefighters, city and Clark County fire officials said.

Clark County Fire Department spokesman Scott Allison said a wrought iron fence prevented a car with a woman inside from being swept away at the flooded intersection of Koval Lane and Winnick Avenue.

"We had four vehicles stalled out with water up to the windows," he said.

TUESDAY

Buyout clears Nevada hurdle

United Health Group's $2.6 billion buyout of Sierra Health Services passed a key step with approval from Nevada's insurance commissioner, but it faces scrutiny from federal antitrust officials and state regulators.

Next up are decisions in California and Arizona, where Sierra Health has enrollees in its Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.

In addition to state approval, the Sierra Health purchase must get the nod from the federal Department of Justice, which is vetting the proposal for its antitrust implications.

WEDNESDAY

Grand jury indicts ex-commissioner

A District Court grand jury indicted former Clark County Commissioner Lynette Boggs on four felony charges.

Boggs is charged with two counts each of perjury and filing of false documents.

If convicted, she could get probation or be sentenced to one to four years in prison for each perjury charge and one to five years for each charge of filing a false document. She also could be fined up to $5,000 for each perjury conviction and up to $10,000 for each conviction of false filing.

Her lawyer, Bill Terry, said Boggs will plead not guilty to the charges at her arraignment Wednesday.

THURSDAY

State tops investor mortgage defaults

Nevada is the top state for investor-owned mortgage defaults, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported.

The Silver State leads the nation in the percentage of residential real estate mortgage defaults for investors, both in the prime and subprime mortgage categories, the association reported.

The association said 32 percent of prime mortgage defaults in Nevada were for nonowner occupied properties as of June 30. Arizona, with 26 percent, came in second.

FRIDAY

Candidates make primary pledge

The Democratic parties of Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina joined together to defend their positions on the presidential nominating calendar, asking candidates to not campaign or compete in states that hold their primaries or caucuses in violation of party rules.

Democrats Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden signed a pledge circulated by the four states approved last year by the Democratic National Committee to hold early nominating contests.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.; Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.; and John Edwards signed the pledge on Saturday, joining Dodd, Richardson and Biden.

COMPILED BY MICHAEL SQUIRES

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