Canadian National Railway Train Derails and Spills Fuel

Three Canadian National Railway locomotives and 3 CN cars derailed, striking a Wisconsin and Southern train last night at a rail crossing in Slinger, Wisconsin, causing at least another 7 cars to derail. About 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from one of the locomotives (Washington Times plus several other sources).

A CN locomotive engineer and a conductor were taken to hospital with unspecified injuries. One hundred people were evacuated because of the spill and a temporary shelter was set up at a local middle school. Hazmat crews were on site, and 6 separate fire departments responded to the disaster.

The derailed CN cars were carrying frac sand which is hazardous to the human respiratory system. The Wisconsin and Southern train was carrying steel, lumber and plastic pellets. Some of the lumber spilled during the derailment. The extent of environmental damage caused by the fuel spill was not disclosed.

Crews worked this morning to upright the derailed cars.

See CN Railway Derailments, Other Accidents and Incidents for many more examples of CN derailments and spills.

~ by railroaded on July 21, 2014.