radioNOVO News for Altoona: August 12, 2026

RNN ALTOONA 08/12/26          NORFOLK SOUTHERN IS INVESTIGATING AFTER 12 TRAIN CARS DERAILED TUESDAY ALONG ALTOONA'S HORSESHOE CURVE—THE AREA'S THIRD DERAILMENT OF 2026. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND NO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS WERE INVOLVED.            PENNSYLVANIA'S SENIOR U.S. SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN ISSUED A STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE CRASH, CALLING IT ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE NEED FOR STRONGER FEDERAL RAIL SAFETY LAWS TO HOLD RAILROAD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE........... THREE YEARS AFTER A TRAIN HAULING TOXIC CHEMICALS DERAILED IN EAST PALESTINE, OHIO, NEAR THE PENNSYLVANIA BORDER.             THE ALTOONA FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MOURN THE SUDDEN LOSS OF LUCILLE, A BLACK LAB WHO SERVED AS THE REGION'S PREMIER ARSON DETECTION DOG.           WORKING ALONGSIDE FIRE INSPECTOR JUSTIN SMITHMYER, LUCILLE ASSISTED LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES IN NEARLY 100 FIRE INVESTIGATIONS SINCE 2022. OFFICIALS SAY THE NEARLY 7-YEAR-OLD K-9 PASSED AWAY FOLLOWING AN UNEXPECTED MEDICAL EMERGENCY LAST SATURDAY.