OUT OF UNEXPECTED ITEMS.

NOW TO OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT.

YOU MIGHT RECALL THOSE HORRIFIC IMAGES FROM EAST PALACE DEAN OHIO.

IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF A DERAILMENT OF THAT MAGNITUDE WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS CLOSER TO HOME?

JARED DUG INTO THAT QUESTION AND JOINS US NOW WITH SOME ANSWERS.

HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT ILLINOIS COULD SEE SOMETHING ON THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

>> CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS ARE AT THE CENTER OF TRANSPORTED GOODS IN THIS COUNTRY AND RAIL IS A BIG PART OF THAT.

RAILROADS ARE REQUIRED TO MOVE HAZARDOUS GOODS THROUGH THE COUNTRY BY LAW.

THE RECORD IS RELATIVELY GOOD.

FOLLOWING THE DISASTER IN OHIO, WE LOOK AT THE DATA FROM THE STATE TO DETERMINE THESE HAZMAT INCIDENTS.

THAT TRAIN IN PARTICULAR LEFT FROM ILLINOIS AND TRAVELED THROUGH THE STATE BEFORE IT DERAILED IN OHIO LEAVING IN -- THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER IN ITS PATH.

TROUBLING ARE THE DERAILMENTS IN ILLINOIS, SOME OF THEM HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO WATERWAYS AND PROTECTED ANIMALS.

>> SOME OF THE CHEMICALS LEAKED, COAL, PETROLEUM, TELL US WHERE THESE TRAIN ACCIDENTS IN ILLINOIS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND HOW BIG THEY'VE BEEN.

>> THE COMMUNITIES MOST AFFECTED ARE AROUND MAJOR RAIL CENTERS LIKE CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS.

IN THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF INCIDENTS IN JOLIET , RIVERDALE, BEDFORD PARK, MOST OF THE DERAILMENTS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DECADES HAVE BEEN HERE IN COOK COUNTY.

THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN THE COUNTRY INVOLVE THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND THE DERAILMENTS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

>> STILL NOTHING OF THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN EAST PALACE DEAN.

SOME ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS RAIL MERGER THAT HAPPENED OUT THERE.

>> THE MERGER BETWEEN CANADIAN PACIFIC AND KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN PROPOSED THEY CREATE A TRAIN NETWORK BETWEEN CANADA AND MEXICO.

IF IT'S APPROVED, IT WILL GO THROUGH THE AREA, A NUMBER OF NORTHWEST SUBURBS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSPARENCY , THERE IS A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON HOW MUCH HAZARDOUS MATERIAL WILL INCREASE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA.

THEY AND THE COMPANIES WILL BE WATCHING FEDERAL REGULATORS TO SEE IF THIS MERGER IS APPROVED.

>> ALL RIGHT JARED, THANKS VERY MUCH.