(The Billings Gazette posted the following article on its website on June 19.)
MISSOULA, Mont. — Five cars of a BNSF Railway train operated by Montana Rail Link derailed here early Sunday, spilling 10,000 gallons of ethanol alcohol and causing several homes to be evacuated.
The 75-car train was westbound from Laurel to Pasco, Wash., when the five cars derailed around 5:30 a.m. Officials believe the cars hit a broken rail in the Montana Rail Link yard, Montana Rail Link spokeswoman Lynda Frost said.
One of the cars was empty, one was carrying machinery, another soybean meal and two were carrying ethanol alcohol, she said. No one was injured, and the fuel spilled from one of the alcohol cars was covered with foam to keep it from igniting.
The contaminated soil will likely be removed from the site, Frost said.
Four nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution, although Frost expected the residents to be allowed back in later Sunday after crews removed the last derailed car.
“We did hold some traffic earlier (Sunday), but it’s rolling now,” she said.