Wisconsin train derailment: All but 1 vehicle back on tracks

The company said in a statement late Sunday night that the leaking vehicle had been sealed, the spilled product was contained and had been siphoned off, and no product had reached a waterway. However, she also said she is grateful but shocked there was no explosion or fire resulting from this incident. Twenty of the 112 cars were carrying hazardous materials, according to the manifest: 15 were loaded with ethanol while five had sodium hydroxide residue. “These two train derailments in Wisconsin are more evidence why Congress needs to take action on the ‎reforms she has proposed”.

Crews were dismantling and removing one auto that was punctured, and it spilled no more than 1,000 gallons, Canadian Pacific spokesman Andrew Cummings said.

Thirteen of 110 cars derailed in Watertown Sunday afternoon, the second derailment in Wisconsin in as many days.

Those evacuated were sent to hotel rooms, Cummings said. A fifth tank vehicle released an estimated 18,000 gallons. It’s not like a propane tank vehicle that you’ve seen in the past where they’ve rocketed a half mile down the tracks.

There was only one law enforcement officer on duty in the area when 25 rail cars, including 13 ethanol tanker cars, went off the tracks. Scores of trains pass through each week hauling highly flammable crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken shale fields to refineries, generally on the East Coast.

Train cars lie overturned outside of Alma, Wis. after derailing on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

The spills have caused enormous damage to the environment and USA regulatory authorities have been called upon to take immediate action, in order to minimize such accidents in the future.

Up to 150 people left their homes during the evacuation, Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Colin Severson said. The railroad estimates the tracks will return to service Monday evening.

“I wanna give my kudos to the fire department”, said Mike Beslow with the Environmental Protection Agency.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has rejected several appeals by industry groups to its rule issued in May on the safety of trains carrying large quantities of crude oil and ethanol.