Several rail cars caught fire after a train carrying ethanol derailed in Raymond, Minnesota, Thursday morning, causing local residents to flee, officials said. A trail derailment in Minnesota today was reported by the Raymond Fire Department on Facebook around 1 a.m.
Ethanol and corn syrup were among the mixed cargo items on board, according to Lena Kent, BNSF Railway’s general director of public affairs.
Chemically, ethanol is very flammable. Coughing, lightheadedness, burning eyes, drowsiness, and even fainting may appear.
Residents of homes within a half-mile of the derailment have been evacuated, the Kandiwhee County Sheriff’s Office reported.
According to Kent, no injuries were immediately reported, and railroad employees will assist first responders.
There was no predicted time for when the main track would reopen because of the disruption. The cause of the train derailment is being investigated.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation closed a neighboring highway after the train derailed and caught fire, according to the fire department.
About two months ago, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, causing a days-long firestorm, deadly gases and thousands of fish kills.
