(The following story by Jon Walker appeared on the Argus Leader website on May 14.)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sioux Falls officials say there’s no danger to people or water supply after two locomotives derailed and one spilled close to 300 gallons of diesel fuel.
The incident occurred Sunday evening after two attached Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway locomotives jumped a track northeast of the intersection of Benson Road and Minnesota Avenue.
Sioux Falls Fire Capt. Michael Collins said the spilled fuel created no fire hazard or public risk.
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“It did not enter the water supply. There was no danger. There were no injuries,” Collins said.
The locomotives derailed when a switch was in the wrong position, Collins said. They stayed upright, but they have fuel tanks strapped underneath and one was punctured.
“When they came off the line, the rail punched a fist-sized hole in the tank,” Collins said. “By the time we got there, there was nothing we could do. We didn’t have enough time to plug the hole before the fuel drained out.”
Bob Kappel, city environmental manager, said the rail company is performing the cleanup.
“The city’s concern is potential contamination … in the area where the city has drinking water wells,” he said. “Their contractors are doing an excellent job taking care of the spill and the release.”
A crew from Morris, Minn., took 100 yards of soil from the site, Collins said. A spokesman for BNSF was unavailable.