A train carrying ethanol derailed and several cars burst into flames early Thursday morning, prompting an evacuation of residents living near the crash site in Raymond, Minnesota, authorities said.
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the train derailment around 1 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET).
About 22 rail cars «carrying mixed cargo, including ethanol and corn syrup» were reported to have derailed, BNSF Railway said in a statement.
Several of the derailed tanks caught fire, the sheriff’s office said.
An evacuation area was established within a half mile around the crash site and law enforcement officers and EMS personnel assisted in evacuating the area.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident and the cause of the derailment is under investigation, BNSF Railway said in a statement. Due to the accident, the main thoroughfare is blocked and it is unclear when it will reopen, the company said.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation said Highway 23 is temporarily closed in Raymond from Kandiyohi CR 1 to Chippewa CR 1 due to the derailment.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that the Federal Railroad Administration is on the ground in Raymond after the train derailment.
“At the moment no injuries or deaths have been reported. We are following closely as more details emerge and will participate in the investigation,” he said.
The derailment comes after a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed on February 3 in East Palestine, Ohio.
That derailment led officials to intentionally burn toxic chemicals on some of the derailed cars to prevent an explosion. The accident prompted the evacuation of about half of the city’s roughly 5,000 residents, an emergency response from multiple agencies, and lingering concerns among residents about long-term health impacts.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.