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Residents within a 0.8-kilometer radius of the derailment were evacuated in the middle of the night.
A BNSF Railway train derailed Thursday morning in the town of Raymond, Minnesota. It was carrying ethanol and corn syrup.
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Residents within 0.8 kilometers of the derailment were evacuated in the middle of the night. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office received notice of the incident at about 1 a.m. local time.
The railroad company said that all twenty-two cars carrying ethanol (about 10) and corn syrup derailed and four caught fire. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident, BNSF added.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told a news conference that the derailed rail cars were state-of-the-art, designed, so they would not explode.
This morning, I visited the site of the train derailment in Raymond to survey the damage, meet with local officials, and offer the state’s full support.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) March 30, 2023
Our multi-agency emergency response will continue working on the ground to protect the health and safety of Raymond. pic.twitter.com/LcXKMzttKx
Railroad personnel remain on the scene along with local emergency services, according to BNSF general manager of public affairs Lena Kent.
The Federal Railroad Administration is on the ground and will be involved in the investigation, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation. Meanwhile, the main rail line in the area remains blocked, along with a nearby highway.
In recent months, such incidents have raised concerns among advocates for greater rail safety in the U.S. The dangerous derailment last month of a train carrying toxic chemicals near East Palestine, Ohio, caused an uproar.
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