Train Carrying Flammable Hazardous Material Derails, Triggering Emergency Response
A train carrying flammable hazardous materials derailed Wednesday afternoon in Lancaster, Minnesota, roughly 10 miles south of the U.S. border with Canada.
According WCCO-TV, a CBS affiliate in Minneapolis, it was the second train derailment involving hazardous materials in as many months.
The outlet reported that 24 cars from the Canadian Pacific train were derailed, but none of them had apparently leaked and there were no nearby waterways that might have been contaminated if a leak had occurred.
No one was injured in the accident, WCCO reported.
The Lancaster Fire Department responded to the accident, and later posted details about road closures and clean-up efforts to its Facebook page.
“At around [4:00] tonight, LFD responded to a train derailment along Highway 59,” the department posted. “Approximately 27 cars have derailed, some of which were carrying flammable Liquid NOS. The Liquid NOS stayed confined within the cars. No injures have been reported, and we are all home safe for the evening.
“HIGHWAY 59 IS CLOSED from Lancaster to Highway 175, and will remain closed while the professionals get this cleaned up. Please follow detour routes and give these crews their space to work.
“Special thanks to Lake Bronson and Hallock Fire for their assistance!” the post added.
Minnesotan politicians were quick to issue statements about the derailment, WCCO reported.
“Thank you to the local and state emergency management personnel who responded to the train derailment outside Lancaster,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a statement.
“While I’m relieved to hear that there were no injuries and there’s no danger to residents at this time, families shouldn’t have to worry that a possible derailment could put them and their community in harm’s way. It’s past time to put in place stronger rail safety standards and more accountability for violations. That’s why I am a cosponsor of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act and I’m working with my colleagues to make sure it becomes law.”
Gov. Tim Walz also weighed in Wednesday evening.
“State officials are working with local emergency managers after a train derailed near Lancaster,” he wrote on Twitter. “Glad to hear that no injuries are reported and the site is contained. Experts are on the way to survey the site and make sure the community has everything they need.”
State officials are working with local emergency managers after a train derailed near Lancaster. Glad to hear that no injuries are reported and the site is contained. Experts are on the way to survey the site and make sure the community has everything they need.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 1, 2023
On March 30, 10 BNSF Railway cars carrying ethanol derailed in Raymond, Minnesota, about 325 miles south of Lancaster.
“The derailed tank cars contained 28,900 gallons of denatured ethanol, some of which was released and contributed to a fire,” KMSP reported last month, citing the results of a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
No injuries were reported in that incident, either, though roughly 800 residents were evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure.
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