South Carolina: 120 BMWs, 12 rail cars damaged in derailment

As many as 120 BMWs were damaged after a train carrying the vehicles from an auto-making plant in South Carolina derailed on Sunday. 

The train was carrying nearly 100 BMWs was going to Charleston from BMW's plant in Greer when it derailed after 3 pm in Columbia, the state capital. 

Nobody was injured. Two locomotives and 12 train cars were damaged apart from the cars. 

Motorists in the area were delayed since heavy equipment was brought into set the rail cars upright and the tracks were repaired. 

The cars were being carted to the Port of Charleston to be exported for overseas markets. 

BMW said the damaged models include the BMW X3, X4, X5 and X6. However, how many of each models were damaged was not specified. 

The BMW plant near Greer exports 70 percent of all X models manufactured. 

"BMW personnel are travelling to the scene and will assess the damage to these 120 BMWs. We will continue to work with Norfolk Southern in this situation to assess the damages," BMW said in an emailed statement. 

The incident took place in Blair, S C Two Norfolk Southern Railway, American rail company, locomotives and 12 rail cars were damaged. Each rail car holds 10 vehicles. Norfolk Southern said in a statement that the tracks were damaged by the derailment and are being repaired but the company is still investigating how the derailment happened.