FRANKLIN—Southampton County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched 2:30 a.m. Thursday by CSX Corporation to a train derailment off General Thomas Highway between the Dominion Power Plant and the Ashland Chemical Plant.

Two crew engineers were sent to local hospitals as a precaution, and have since been treated and released, said Carla Groleaul, CSX communications director.

A total of 41 cars were involved in this incident, with two locomotives and nine cars of mixed freight being derailed.

A diesel spill when the tank was ruptured caused a fire, which spread into the woods near Dominion Power Plant, said Gene Drewery, SCSO spokesperson. The fire has since been extinguished, and the diesel spill has been contained as crews work to clean it up.

CSX Railroad Police are doing an investigation, and Groleaul said the that could take weeks to complete.

She also said the incident has minimally impacted area freight traffic, and there is no passenger traffic on this route.

Delaware Road will remain closed for an extended period of time, said Drewery, as crews work to clean the derailment.

The train originated in Portsmouth, and was en route to Rocky Mount, N.C.