A practice carrying ethanol derailed early Thursday in rural Minnesota and several other vehicles caught fireplace, forcing residents to evacuate properties as a precaution.
The practice derailed at 1 a.m. within the small metropolis of Raymond, town’s fireplace division reported. Town is in southwest Kandiyohi County about 110 miles west of Minneapolis.
Properties inside a half mile of the derailment have been evacuated, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in an announcement.
As of Thursday morning, no accidents had been reported, officers mentioned, and the reason for the derailment was not identified.
‘The fireman woke us’
Christine O’Leary, who lives three blocks from the location of the crash, mentioned she, her boyfriend and two youngsters awoke to somebody banging on her door at about 2 a.m.
“The fireman woke us pounding on the door to evacuate,” O’Leary, 44, advised USA TODAY. “We noticed the vehicles on fireplace and smelled the smoke. It was loopy. Hearth vans got here from all over the place.”
O’Leary mentioned the couple stayed awake within the automotive so her youngsters might end sleeping. Her residence, she mentioned, gave the impression to be undamaged.
The fireplace division and sheriff’s workplace couldn’t instantly be reached by USA TODAY.
The primary monitor was blocked, and it was not identified when the road might be reopened, BNSF railroad reported.
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Practice was carrying ethanol and corn syrup
The practice was carrying combined freight, together with corn syrup and ethanol, Lena Kent, basic director of public affairs for BNSF Railway, advised USA TODAY.
Kent mentioned 22 vehicles carrying the freight have been derailed and that a minimum of 4 vehicles caught fireplace. Railroad personnel labored with first responders on the crash website, Kent mentioned.
The Minnesota Division of Transportation additionally closed close by Freeway 23 due to the crash, the fireplace division reported.
Crews battle fireplace
Crews continued to battle the blaze Thursday morning and examine the way it occurred.
In a Fb submit on the fireplace division’s web page, officers mentioned a firefighter’s spouse mentioned a number of folks had requested how they may assist first responders and others concerned within the crash.
“The Metropolis of Raymond just isn’t accessible to the general public, so Unity Church in Prinsburg is keen to be a drop off location for bottled water and snacks for the firemen,” the submit mentioned.
What is going on on? Trains preserve derailing everywhere in the nation, together with one in Washington.
A current spate of practice derailments
The Minnesota crash marks the most recent in a wave of derailments over the previous two months. Since a fiery Ohio derailment on Feb. 3, trains have derailed in Florida, West Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Alabama, Nebraska and Arizona.
Most not too long ago, on March 16, a practice derailed in Washington state, spilling diesel gasoline on tribal land alongside Puget Sound.
Knowledge exhibits such derailments should not uncommon.
On daily basis, the nation’s railroads transfer hundreds of thousands of tons of uncooked supplies and completed items across the nation on about 140,000 miles of rails, however their security report is getting new consideration amid scrutiny of the East Palestine derailment catastrophe.
Contributing: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending information for USA TODAY. Attain her at nalund@usatoday.com and observe her on Twitter @nataliealund.