Several cars from freight train derail in northern Minnesota
Updated: 8:40 a.m.
Several cars from a freight train derailed Monday night in northern Minnesota. Two of the cars were carrying hazardous materials but there were no reports of leaks, injuries or evacuations.
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the derailment happened at about 8:20 p.m. in Field Township, about six miles north of the city of Cook.
The sheriff’s office said nine cars derailed; Canadian National Railway said 10 cars were involved.
Authorities said five of the cars that derailed ended up on their sides. The two cars with hazardous materials were carrying propane and butane.
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The sheriff’s office said crews didn’t see any leaks or spills at the derailment site. It said the derailment happened in a rural location, and that there’s no danger to the public.
“We would like to apologize for the inconvenience this may cause to local residents,” CN reported in a statement sent to MPR News. “The cause of the incident is under investigation.”
On May 31, about two dozen cars from a Canadian Pacific Kansas City freight train derailed in northwest Minnesota, near Lancaster. There were no reported spills or injuries from that incident.
A half-dozen cars from a BNSF freight train derailed near St. Cloud on May 27.
And a fiery train derailment caused the evacuation of the western Minnesota city of Raymond on March 30. Twenty-two cars from a BNSF freight train — some carrying ethanol — went off the tracks in that incident.