The US Environmental Protection Agency, which is involved in the response, published a list of the train’s cargo. While some cars held more innocuous substances, including malt liquors, semolina and frozen vegetables, about 11 of them were carrying chemicals with potentially toxic effects. Some of those containers leaked or burned during the accident.
Some of the chemicals onboard that have caused concern are vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, benzene, ethyl hexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.