(SD)-No Injuries In SD Ethanol Train Derailment And Fire

Six tanker cars from a Burlington Northern Sante Fe train hauling ethanol left the track in a rural area southeast of Scotland at about 6:30 Saturday morning. He said no cause for the derailment had been determined.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams says the train heading from Mina, South Dakota, to Deer Park, Texas, was traveling 10 miles per hour at the time, which was the allowed speed. Several of the tank cars fell into a creek, and the bridge across that creek was destroyed. Mehrer said there were no injuries.

When Mehrer and his fellow volunteer Scotland firefighters arrived on the scene, he was surprised at what he saw. “You get a pretty big lump in your throat”.

Firefighters were able to put most of the fire out.

Williams said the investigation at the scene would take three to five days. There are no homes or buildings close to the rail line.

“We’ll be assessing any environmental damage”, Williams said.

The Associated Press reported the South Dakota derailment earlier Saturday.