A bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River, in Montana, has collapsed this Saturday morning when a freight train passed, which has fallen into the water with dangerous substances. Authorities have closed downstream drinking water intakes while they assess the danger of the accident.
An initial assessment indicates that of the cars that fell into the water, four contained molten sulfur and another three contained molten asphalt, materials that solidify quickly when exposed to cooler temperatures, according to Montana Rail Link (MRL), the rail company.
The train also had two carriages carrying sodium hydrosulphate, but according to the company, none of them have fallen into the water. An initial air quality assessment has confirmed that there are no leaks associated with those two carriages.
“The current objective of operations is to safely respond to the emergency, control all leaks and mitigate impacts. Throughout the response, MRL will work with local, state, and federal partners to assess impacts on natural resources and develop appropriate cleanup, removal, and restoration efforts.
The derailment has caused parts of the Yellowstone and Stillwater rivers to be closed, at the request of Stillwater County authorities, as reported by the Montana Forest Service. The river is closed to navigation, bathing and fishing and there are areas under alert “due to possible contact with contaminants”.
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“I am closely monitoring the train derailment in Stillwater County, and the State stands ready to support as Montana Rail Link and county officials assess their needs,” Montana Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted.
“We are committed to addressing any potential impact in the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident,” a company spokesperson said in a statement reported by local media.
The bridge collapse has also broken a fiber optic cable that provides Internet service to many customers in the state, high-speed provider Global Net has reported.
The derailment occurred about 175 kilometers northeast of the park, in a sparsely populated area. Railroad personnel were at the crash site near the city of Columbus, about 40 miles west of Billings. The river was swollen from recent heavy rains, though it is unclear if this contributed to the bridge collapse. In 2022, the Yellowstone River experienced a record flood, causing extensive damage to Yellowstone National Park and nearby Montana towns.
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