Evacuations underway after freight train derails, catches fire in Minnesota

A freight train derailed in a fiery crash close to a small the town in Minnesota early Thursday, forcing citizens to evacuate as a precaution, officers mentioned.

The incident used to be reported at round 1 a.m. CT. Multiple tankers of a train operated via BNSF Railway derailed and stuck fire at the western fringe of Raymond, a the town in Minnesota’s southwestern Kandiyohi County that has a inhabitants of lower than 800. The tankers have been wearing “a form of ethanol” and “a corn syrup liquid,” in step with a press unencumber from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office.

BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent showed to ABC News that “approximately 22 cars” of a train “carrying mixed freight including ethanol and corn syrup” derailed close to Raymond at 1:02 a.m. The corporate, some of the biggest freight railroad networks in North America, is investigating the reason for the incident and, to this point, there have been no reported casualties, in step with Kent.

“BNSF field personnel are responding to assess the derailment site and will be working closely with local first responders,” Kent instructed ABC News in a remark Thursday. “The main track is blocked and an estimated time for reopening the line is not available.”

Approximately 13 rail vehicles have been wearing ethanol. Four train vehicles which can be on fire comprise ethanol, FEMA officers mentioned Thursday.

A half-mile evacuation radius used to be established across the derailment web site. Residents inside the designated house “were instructed to leave their homes,” whilst the ones “with nowhere to go” have been despatched to a college in the within sight the town of Prinsburg, in step with the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office.

The overall selection of evacuees is unknown, in step with FEMA.

The fire on the derailment web site “is being contained,” and contributors of the general public are instructed in opposition to touring to Raymond in the interim, the sheriff’s place of job mentioned.

The Raymond Fire Department, which deployed firefighters to the scene, mentioned in a Facebook post that the evacuation is “for precautionary measures.”

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg showed in a Twitter post that the Federal Railroad Administration “is on the ground after a BNSF train carrying ethanol derailed early this morning, leading to an evacuation in the area of Raymond, MN.”

“At present no injuries or fatalities have been reported,” Buttigieg added. “We are tracking closely as more details emerge and will be involved in the investigation.”

The National Transportation Safety Board mentioned it’s launching a crew to behavior a security investigation into Thursday’s derailment. The crew used to be anticipated to reach on scene in Raymond on Thursday afternoon.

The Homeland Security and Emergency Management is actively tracking the location and speaking with native officers in Raymond, officers mentioned. It might be deploying liaisons to the incident house.

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney contributed to this record.