CHARLESTON, WV – A portion of US Route 52 in the Wyoming County town of Hanover was rendered closed after an early morning train derailment.

Both northbound and southbound lanes were closed following the accident, which occurred about 3:30 a.m. near a towing service alongside the rail line. Rail cars crushed several automobiles at the wrecker service, but the vehicles were vacant at the time and no one was hurt.

West Virginia Division of Highways emergency crews were on site as well as contractors for Norfolk Southern Railway who cleared at least a dozen cars while traffic was detoured onto WV 10, 80 and back to US 52 while they worked.

“Our responsibility is to keep traffic moving away from the site and to work with the local fire department and other agencies until the issue is resolved,” WVDOH District 10 Engineer Ryland Musick, P.E., said on the day of the crash.

The Hanover Volunteer Fire Department is in charge of the wreck site. As of this release, traffic was moving along both lanes but delays may be expected as crews continue dealing with the wreckage.