A train carrying ethanol and corn syrup caught fire after derailing in Minnesota on Thursday.
According to the reports, the incident has forced the nearby residents to evacuate their homes as part of the precaution.
In a statement released by BNSF Railway, it was revealed that approximately 22 cars derailed and 4 of them caught on fire.
According to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during an exclusive interview with CNN, the release of ethanol was the main cause of the fire.
“Ethanol is a highly flammable chemical, and exposure to it can lead to coughing, dizziness, a burning sensation in the eyes, drowsiness and unconsciousness,” New York Post reported.
Buttigieg also assured the public that “we’ve been in touch with the governor” and added that the Environmental Protection Agency officials went to the site of the derailment “given the hazardous material situation.”
The Transportation Secretary also made it clear that he has received no reports of deaths or injuries as a consequence of the derailment.
According to Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson, the BNSF train derailed in Raymond at about 1 a.m.
At the time of writing, the cause of the derailment has not yet been determined.
Better look at @BNSFRailway 22 car train derailment now that it’s lighter out. Cars carrying ethanol and corn syrup. Been burning since 1am. 1/2 mile radius around crash has been evacuated. @MnDOTsouthwest reporting hwy 23 will be closed until TOMORROW at noon @WCCO pic.twitter.com/pQwxW8jrSk— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) March 30, 2023
In an exclusive report published by New York Times, it was revealed that “Homes within a half-mile of the derailment have been evacuated” and that “residents have been taken to a shelter in the nearby city of Prinsburg and travel is not advised in Raymond, the sheriff’s office said.”
“Fire officials said they are letting the ethanol burn out after working to extinguish the cars. Railroad safety has been in the spotlight nationally ever since last month’s fiery derailment of a Norfolk Southern train near East Palestine, Ohio. Roughly half of the small town of about 5,000 people near the Pennsylvania border had to be evacuated after officials decided to release and burn toxic chemicals,” the report added.
The latest derailment sparked controversy and has been widely criticized.
In response to the critics, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took action and filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern over the “entirely avoidable” toxic derailment.
“The derailment was entirely avoidable and the direct result of Norfolk Southern’s practice of putting its own profits above the health, safety and welfare of the communities in which Norfolk Southern operates,” the federal suit alleges.
