Crashed train cars on Yellowstone River, Montana, U.S., June 25, 2023. | Photo: Twitter/ @JoeBarracato
Initial assessment indicates compromised rail cars contained molten sulfur and asphalt. Both substances solidify rapidly when exposed to cooler temperatures.
On Saturday, a freight train fell into the Yellowstone River in the state of Montana after parts of a bridge collapsed. There were no reports of injuries after the incident.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:00 a.m. on the rail bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Montana’s Stillwater County.
“The bridge collapsed, and there are multiple rail cars… We have not determined the cause of the derailment,” said the Stillwater County’s Disaster and Emergency Services.
At least seven cars from the freight train, including three cars of hot asphalt and four cars of molten sulfur, tumbled into the river. Initial assessment indicates compromised rail cars contained molten sulfur and asphalt. Both substances solidify rapidly when exposed to cooler temperatures.
Bridge collapses and freight train loaded with toxic chemicals falls into a river in Montana, USA.
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“Two cars carrying sodium hydro sulfate are also included in the consist. Neither of these cars have entered the water, and initial air quality assessments have been performed and confirmed that there is no release event associated with those two cars,” the department said, noting that the current focus of operations is safely responding to the emergency, controlling all releases and mitigating impacts.
Air and water monitoring at and downstream of the site is ongoing. The Stillwater County’s Disaster and Emergency Services said it would work with local, state and federal partners to assess the impact on natural resources and develop appropriate cleanup, removal and restoration efforts.
The train derailment into the Yellowstone River near Twin Bridges Road between Reed Point and Columbus has led to the closure of parts of the Yellowstone and Stillwater Rivers, said the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The Yellowstone River flows northward through Yellowstone National Park, one of the U.S. largest national parks. Reed Point is about 180 kilometers northeast of Yellowstone National Park.
This incident came after a string of recent train derailments in the country. A freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, which resulted in a significant fire and hazardous materials release in the area and has sparked environmental concerns across the United States.
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