Practice derailment in northern Montana spills freight, however hazmat automotive secure

HAVRE, Mont. — A prepare derailment in northern Montana spilled freight and left 25 automobiles twisted up alongside a serious east-west railroad hall however triggered no accidents.

The accident comes lower than a month after a railroad bridge collapse in southern Montana despatched tanks automobiles with oil merchandise plunging into the Yellowstone River, spilling molten sulfur and as much as 250 tons of asphalt binder.

The most recent accident concerned a BNSF Railway prepare that derailed whereas touring Friday night round a curve east of the small city of Havre.

Cleanup and restore work continued Saturday and the trigger was underneath investigation, mentioned Amanda Frickel with Hill County Catastrophe and Emergency Providers.

One automotive hauling hazardous supplies — paint thinner — derailed however didn’t spill, Frickel mentioned. Vehicles carrying cake combine, napkins, carrots and different client items broke open and spilled.

The road was anticipated to return again into service later Saturday, she mentioned. Representatives of Texas-based BNSF didn’t instantly reply to an e mail searching for data.

Railroads are largely self-regulating, however they’re underneath rising stress from lawmakers and unions over security lapses typically traced to the situation of tracks and tools.

In 2021, an Amtrak prepare derailed about 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the west of Friday’s freight prepare accident. Three individuals have been killed, and dozens have been injured. Investigators in February disclosed that the BNSF-owned observe was bent alongside a curve on the Amtrak derailment website, and the issue bought worse as freight trains traveled via the realm earlier than the crash.