WASHINGTON– D.C.officials will start clean-up efforts Saturday after seven rail cars carrying coal derailed into the Anacostia River.

The clean-up will take place one day after the derailment and officials said the city should be grateful that the incident wasn’t worse.

“This is a little calling card for the industry to remind us that we are all at great risk everyday that these hazardous cargoes continue to move through the city,” said Tim Doherty, of the D.C. Sierra Club.

He doesn’t expect the coal will cause any harm to the environment or people living in the district.

On Friday, D.C. fire officials said they wanted to make sure the CSX railroad bridge where the freight train derailed was safe before trying to get any of the cars out of the Anacostia River.

The accident happened around 3p.m., when the train was crossing a bridge in Anacostia Park just north of Pennsylvania Avenue.

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