A train carrying ethanol derailed this Thursday in the city of Raymond, in the American state of Minnesota, in an accident that caused the fire of several carriages and forced residents of the area to evacuate.
The derailment, which apparently has not caused any victimsoccurred last morning, the Raymond City Fire Department reported on its Facebook profile.
Several tanker trucks from the train operated by BNSF Railway derailed and caught fire on the western edge of Raymond, a city in southwestern Kandiyohi County, Minnesota that has a population of about 800 inhabitants, reported ABC News.
[Decenas de personas de Ohio sufren quemazón al respirar y debilidad tras el descarrilamiento del tren]
Chopper 5 video of train derailment aftermath in Raymond. The community is about 100 miles west of the Twin Cities. No one was hurt, but residents are being asked to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/zvIA4e5sR2
— Chris Egert (@ChrisEgertTV) March 30, 2023
The convoy, of some 22 wagons, was carrying a mixed load that included ethanol and corn syrup, said Lena Kent, general manager of public affairs for BNSF Railway.
The city’s fire department warned citizens on Facebook that “Raymond is not accessible to the public” after the accident.
The company, one of the largest freight rail networks in North America, is investigating the cause of the incident and, so far, no casualties have been reported, Kent said.
[Los niveles tóxicos del tren de Ohio son cientos de veces superiores al umbral de riesgo de cáncer]
“BNSF field personnel are responding to assess the site of the derailment and will work closely with local emergency services,” Kent added.
Highly flammable
The chain specified that it has been established an evacuation radius of one kilometer around the site of the derailment. Residents within the designated area “were instructed to leave their homes,” while those with “nowhere to go” were sent to a school in the nearby town of Prinsburg, according to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office.
Ethanol is a chemical highly flammable which can cause cough, dizziness, burning sensation in the eyes, drowsiness and unconsciousness in those who are exposed to it.
Local media recalled that this derailment occurred almost two months after another train transporting dangerous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, emitting toxic gases in the area.