Trains running again on western Minnesota rail line, derailment investigation continues
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Trains are running again through Raymond, Minn., after a derailment caused an evacuation of the community last week.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office said the tracks were repaired and returned to service, and the first train since the derailment passed through the area early Saturday.
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board still has a crew on the scene as it investigates the cause of the incident. A preliminary report on the derailment is expected in several weeks.
Nearly two dozen cars of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train derailed early Thursday morning and some caught fire.
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The derailed cars were carrying corn syrup and ethanol, and concerns about a possible explosion prompted authorities to evacuate Raymond, a city of about 900 people about 90 miles west of the Twin Cities.
Residents were directed to a school in Prinsburg, about 5 miles away, and some went to the homes of friends and family in other communities. They were allowed to return home around midday Thursday, after authorities determined there was no risk to public safety.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency monitored the air near the derailment site for “particulate matter and volatile organic compounds,” and did not find any levels of concern.
BNSF Railway has a phone line — (866) 243-4784 — for claims from residents and businesses affected by the derailment.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office said over the weekend crews continued to unload cargo from the derailed cars, and cleanup at the scene would continue for several days.
The sheriff’s office issued a statement thanking the dozens of agencies who responded to the scene on Thursday. That list includes 28 fire departments — some who responded from more than 40 miles away — along with other local, state and federal agencies and organizations.
“We are thankful for our local firefighters, EMS and law enforcement who drove toward the unknown without any hesitation to start fighting the fire and evacuating residents to keep them safe,” the sheriff’s office posted. “We appreciate the attention our community has received from our local, state and federal officials. Regardless of politics when events like this affect our community we come together and do what needs to be done.”