Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency director Bo Keck told local news outlet WHIZ that about seven loaded cars of an Ohio Central Railroad train left the tracks at about 6am.
Railroad officials told the outlet the 54-car train was northbound, headed to Coshocton, when the incident occurred.
Track damage was being repaired Thursday, and OCR spokesman Len Wagner said the cars should be returned to the tracks by about 9pm local time.
An investigation into the cause of the derailment has begun. Officials did not indicate any preliminary considerations.
