Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against CSX, Track Line Rail Over Dunnellon Railroad Tie Fire

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the three companies linked to the massive railroad tie fire near Dunnellon on February 1, 2026, alleging they ignored repeated warnings to remove approximately 100,000 creosote-soaked railroad ties stored near the Rainbow River.

The lawsuit, filed in Marion County on February 23, 2026, names CSX Transportation, Track Line Rail, and Florida Northern Railroad Company as defendants. It was brought by Miami-based personal injury firm The G Law Group on behalf of plaintiffs Curtis Trammell and Christopher Bryant Crabtree, and proposes a class of potentially thousands of individuals within 30 miles of the fire site, according to reporting by WCJB.

Allegations of Ignored Warnings

The lawsuit alleges that the defendant companies stored toxic railroad ties in an unsecured manner near homes and the ecologically sensitive Rainbow River, despite orders from Marion County officials to remove them. Track Line Rail, a Texas-based company, had been transporting the creosote-treated ties to Dunnellon since late summer 2025, planning to process them for use as alternative fuel.

As Only In Ocala reported in February, community opposition to the stockpile had been building for months. More than 200 residents packed a town hall meeting in October 2025 to voice safety concerns. Environmental groups including Rainbow River Conservation, the Sierra Club, and Earthjustice filed roughly 200 complaints with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Marion County issued code violations, and CSX eventually agreed to begin removing the ties in December 2025.

According to WUFT, CSX had removed approximately 17,700 ties — roughly 20 percent of the stockpile — before the fire broke out on February 1. Fire officials estimated that 30,000 to 40,000 of the remaining ties caught fire, according to Spectrum News 13.

What the Lawsuit Seeks

The complaint seeks compensatory damages for property loss, diminished property values, loss of use, out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, and other economic harms. It also demands punitive damages, alleging the companies acted with conscious disregard for health and safety.

A central element of the litigation is the demand for a court-supervised medical monitoring fund. The fund would provide ongoing health screenings for community members potentially exposed to toxins released by the creosote-fueled fire. Creosote is a coal tar derivative that the Environmental Protection Agency classifies as a Group B1 probable human carcinogen. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry identifies roughly 300 chemicals in creosote, many linked to cancers and neurological damage.

"Our focus is the health and safety of this community," said Simeon Genadiev, managing partner of The G Law Group, in a statement provided to Only In Ocala. "County and city officials warned these companies. The Fire Marshal warned them. They chose to take the risk anyway. This lawsuit is about holding corporations accountable for treating the safety of a community as an acceptable line item on a balance sheet."

Multiple Legal Actions Now Underway

The class action lawsuit adds to the legal fallout from the fire. As previously reported, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on February 3 to file an injunction against the same three companies, seeking a court order to force immediate removal of remaining debris and to recover emergency response costs. That action, brought by the county government, focuses on cleanup and cost recovery rather than individual damages.

The class action, by contrast, represents the interests of individual residents and property owners who may have been affected by the fire and its toxic smoke plume. The proposed 30-mile radius for the class would extend well beyond Dunnellon into surrounding areas of Marion County.

Cleanup Status

Cleanup at the fire site has been ongoing since February. According to ClickOrlando, more than 40,000 unburned ties have been removed from the site during the cleanup operation. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection continues to monitor impacts to soil and surface water near the Rainbow River.

Marion County declared a state of emergency on February 3. The fire, which began at 2:42 a.m. on February 1 at a rail yard near East McKinney Street, required an estimated one million gallons of water to contain.

---

This article incorporates information from a press release provided by The G Law Group and verified through independent reporting by WCJB, WUFT, Spectrum News 13, FOX 35, and the Ocala Gazette. Only In Ocala has no relationship with The G Law Group or any party to the litigation.