SMITHVILLE, Ga. (WALB) - A Georgia Southwestern 15-car train derailed two railcars on Northbound tracks near Smithville on the morning of Tuesday, July 15, according to Tom Ciuba, the Vice President of Communications for Genesee & Wyoming Inc.

The incident happened just west of the US-19 overpass near GA Highway 118.

Rhodes Street in Smithville was closed near the tracks after the derailment, but it did not cause a major traffic disruption.

Ciuba said there were no injuries, and no hazardous materials were involved. Officials said the cause of the derailment is not yet known, but that an investigation is underway.

WALB was at the scene as rail crews used heavy machinery to lift the rail cars to try to clear the tracks.

One of the cars lost an axle after it derailed, making the task more challenging, officials said.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. is the parent company of Georgia Southwestern.

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