Major train derailment and fire in western Minnesota, residents evacuated
Major train derailment and fire in western Minnesota, residents evacuated
Early on Thursday morning, a freight train in western
Minnesota that was carrying ethanol and corn syrup caught fire, prompting an
emergency notice and a citywide evacuation in Raymond.
At about one in the morning in Raymond, according to the
Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office, more than a dozen BNSF railway cars were off the
rails.
Text notifications were sent to neighboring residents
telling them to evacuate to a school since Highway 23 was closed through the
city and there was a no-travel advisory in effect.
Following the incident, fire agencies were dispatched to the
scene because several of the tanker cars "got on fire," according to
photographs posted online by nearby citizens.
In the Central Minnesota Christian School facility in
Prinsburg, Minnesota, an emergency collection station for evacuees was set up.
Later, a new location was established at Prinsburg's Unity Church. Bottled
water and snacks are welcome donations for the church's fire teams, according
to a firefighter's wife who posted the request on Facebook.
The site remains active in the later morning hours of
Thursday, authorities said.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said
"no injuries or fatalities have been reported" as of 6 a.m.
"FRA is on the ground after a BNSF train carrying
ethanol derailed early this morning, leading to an evacuation in the area of
Raymond, MN. At present no injuries or fatalities have been reported," he
said on Twitter.
"We are tracking closely as more details emerge and
will be involved in [investigation]."
FRA is on the ground after a BNSF train carrying ethanol derailed early this morning, leading to an evacuation in the area of Raymond, MN. At present no injuries or fatalities have been reported. We are tracking closely as more details emerge and will be involved in investigaton.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) March 30, 2023
This is the most recent in a string of significant railway
derailments that have occurred recently in the United States, most notably the
one in East Palestine, Ohio, which released hazardous chemicals into the Ohio
River. According to The Guardian, it has sparked a discussion about government
deregulation, past business initiatives to reduce safety rules, and growing
concerns about rail safety.
Investigations into the derailment are ongoing. Later on
Thursday, the sheriff's office is anticipated to provide an update.
Railroad workers in Minnesota recently spoke with the Twin
Cities media source Racket MN about their worries over track integrity and the
effects of industry cuts on maintenance.