Despite leaving no obvious signs of leaks, a train hauling hazardous goods derailed in northwest Minnesota just south of the Canadian border on Wednesday, necessitating a highway closure, according to officials.
According to Kittson County Emergency Management Director Scot Olson, the 25-car Canadian Pacific train that included several tank cars carrying an unidentified flammable chemical derailed near Lancaster as it was traveling to Canada.
According to Olson, no injuries or spills were recorded, but he noted that safety steps were being implemented in case leaks did occur.
There were no early details on what led to the derailment.
The tweet below verifies the news:
A train carrying hazardous materials derailed in northwestern Minnesota just south of the Canadian border. https://t.co/jNBS3M8ZoY
— WKOW 27 News (@WKOW) June 1, 2023
According to a tweet from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, US 59, which passes through Lancaster, was shut down south of the city on Wednesday to make room for cleanup workers, inspectors, and emergency responders to work at the derailment scene. The department stated the site work would take two to three days but did not specify when the highway might reopen.
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The website of the transportation department states that a 7-mile section of US 59 was closed.
According to Olson, the train carried eight tank cars, some of which contained the volatile material. There were no specifics on which cars or how many cars derailed.
Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz tweeted on Wednesday that the site had been confined and professionals were responding to assess it and make sure the community has everything it needed.
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