Eight train cars filled with crude oil veered off the tracks in the south of Galena, Illinois. At least two of them caught fire after the 105-car-long BNSF Railway train derailed.
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The train derailed around 1:20 pm (19:20 GMT) in a rural area where the Galena River meets the Mississippi, according to railroad officials.
Aerial view of fire at train #derailment south of Galena http://t.co/UhlUcl37Gdpic.twitter.com/3ZIzM4gemo
— Telegraph Herald (@TelegraphHerald) March 5, 2015
Galena city fire crews responded to the reports as soon as the emergency calls went through.
“The report that came back to me from them is that eight tanker cars had left the track,” Galena City Administrator Mark Moran told reporters. “Two of those were still upright, the other six were not. They observed at least one of those tankers smoking.”
BREAKING: A freight train containing 103 cars loaded with crude oil has derailed in Illinois http://t.co/GbU6E5t2lopic.twitter.com/PrTDSqLqFy
— John Galt (@JohnGGalt) March 5, 2015
No reports of injuries have so far surfaced, and no evacuations have been necessary, Moran said, adding that there are “no structures and no houses in that area.”
“I did confirm that the train crew was safely removed from the scene without injury,” he said.
Picture from @scandbq of most recent explosion from the @BNSFRailway derailment fire south of Galena pic.twitter.com/KJWoPb2jow
— KCRG (@KCRG) March 5, 2015
Reuters meanwhile reports that two cars have ignited. The train had 105 loaded cars – 103 of which were carrying crude oil. BNSF has released two statements regarding the derailment, but has not confirmed reports of burning crude oil at the crash site.
BNSF tain carrying 103 cars loaded with crude oil has derailed near Galena Illinois http://t.co/ryYo2xUEHjpic.twitter.com/bi8wwVnDwN
— proleterrorist (@soit_goes) March 5, 2015
Dubuque Fire Chief Rick Steines told local media he has deployed firefighters with foam fire suppression equipment to a derailment staging area. “We sent two people with our foam trailer because of a request we got form Jo Daviess County,” he said.
It’s still unclear what caused the derailment, according to a BNSF statement.
The railroad is working with local responders and has notified the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration.
Smoke from derailment fire coming over the hill on S. Pilot Knob Road pic.twitter.com/4HekpDdKC2
— Telegraph Herald (@TelegraphHerald) March 5, 2015
Firefighters attempted to extinguish an initial small fire soon after the incident, but were unable to stop the flames, pulling back for safety reasons at around 3:20 pm, local time.
“We couldn't access the seat of the fire, and it grew,” Assistant Fire Chief Bob Conley told local news. Responders are allowing the fire to burn itself out, he said.
#BREAKING Oil train derailment, this one just across the river from Dubuque, IA no word on injuries via @KWQCMarkpic.twitter.com/dCLbTkCILB
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) March 5, 2015