Train derails in Lancaster, Minnesota
Gov. Tim Walz said the state is working with local emergency management teams in Lancaster, located on the border with Canada, to keep the site contained.
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LANCASTER, Minnesota — Editor's note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 in March 2023.
State officials are investigating after a train derailed Wednesday night in far northwestern Minnesota.
Emergency responders say 24 cars carrying a mixture of freight, including hazardous materials, derailed at around 4:30 p.m. about four miles south of Lancaster in an unpopulated area. Lancaster is located about six hours north of the Twin Cities, on the U.S. border with Canada.
In a tweet just before 10 p.m., Gov. Tim Walz said the state is working with local emergency management teams to keep the site contained. Officials with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) say there are no leaks from the rail cars and add that no injuries have been reported from the derailment.
State officials are working with local emergency managers after a train derailed near Lancaster. Glad to hear that no injuries are reported and the site is contained. Experts are on the way to survey the site and make sure the community has everything they need. — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 1, 2023
A video posted on Facebook by user Chris Orwig shows part of the derailment between Lancaster and Lake Bronson.
Train derailment just happened between Lancaster and Lake Bronson Minnesota Posted by Chris Orwig on Wednesday, May 31, 2023
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) said drivers heading south on Highway 59 will be detoured to Highway 175/Kittson County Road 5 so crews can continue their inspection and clean-up efforts. MnDOT said the process can potentially take up to two to three days.
Wednesday's incident comes on the heels of recent derailments, both in and out of Minnesota. Just last weekend a train derailed near St. Cloud spilling tons of rock, and in March, a train went off the tracks near Raymond spilling ethanol and corn syrup.
Following an investigation into the Raymond crash, officials found a fractured rail may have been to blame. Shortly after that derailment Minnesota lawmakers visited the site, calling for higher safety standards on our railways.
On Thursday, Walz is scheduled to sign the legislature's newly passed infrastructure bill, unlocking billions of dollars in funding to improve roads, bridges, and transit systems across the state.
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Source: KARE11.com
