(RoyalPatriot.com )- Local authorities in North Dakota are saying there is no threat to public safety after a Canadian Pacific train derailed in rural North Dakota Sunday night, spilling hazardous chemicals, the Associated Press reported.
The Canadian Pacific train derailed outside of Wyndmere, North Dakota, about 60 miles southwest of Fargo on Sunday. According to Andy Cummings, a spokesman for the railroad, 31 cars on the 70-car train derailed. No injuries were reported and the derailment cause no fires.
The derailed cars included Four filled with liquid asphalt and another two filled with ethylene glycol, some of which spilled. Additionally, a tank car containing propylene was punctured releasing some vapor.
According to the Associated Press, while it was not clear how much of the chemicals were released in the spill, there are no nearby waterways, and the chemicals were contained to the derailment site.
Hazardous materials experts from Canadian Pacific have been working with area first responders to clean up the spill. Several roads were shut down in the area during the clean-up but the nearby farms did not need to be evacuated.
According to Canadian Pacific, the derailment was likely caused by a broken rail.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that local authorities credit North Dakota’s current cold temperatures for preventing the spilled chemicals spilled from spreading beyond the site.
Brett Lambrecht, the director of Richland County Emergency Management said on Tuesday that the chemicals that leaked were kept within 100 feet of the accident by below-freezing temperatures. On Tuesday, the high temperature for the region was 17 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ethylene glycol and liquid asphalt mostly hardened and failed to penetrate the ground due to the frigid temperatures, Lambrecht said. The punctured tank car that leaked propylene gas was quickly patched.
The railroad had the tracks cleared and trains resumed running by Monday evening. However, Canadian Pacific is still working on clearing the site of the damaged cars.
