In a remote marshy area surrounded by farmland in North Dakota, a CPKC train carrying hazardous materials derailed in the early hours of Friday morning. Authorities confirmed that 29 cars were involved in the incident, which occurred approximately 140 miles northwest of Fargo. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, and the threat to nearby residents appears to be minimal.

According to Andrew Kirking, the emergency management director for Foster County, the derailed cars were still ablaze over 12 hours later. However, by late afternoon, responders were able to tackle the flames more aggressively and reported some success in knocking the fire down. One challenge faced by officials was the location of the derailment, with water surrounding the affected area. Efforts were underway to bring equipment closer to the scene.

The train cars were carrying a combination of anhydrous ammonia, sulfur, and methanol, as confirmed by Bill Suess, the spill investigation program manager for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. Although the ammonia posed the highest risk, winds were fortunately carrying the smoke away from the nearby town of Bordulac, where approximately 20 residents reside. Suess explained that the wind direction has worked in their favor, significantly reducing the risk. However, the risk remains present as long as the fires continue to burn.

Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia can cause severe health issues such as damage to the respiratory tract, blindness, or even death, according to health officials. Even exposure to lower amounts can lead to coughing and irritation of the nose and throat.

At present, officials have not made plans to evacuate nearby residents unless wind conditions change, according to Suess. The cause of the derailment remains unknown. Fortunately, the engineer and conductor managed to escape without harm.

Video footage shared on social media platform X showed the intensity of the blaze, which continued to burn throughout the day. A railroad fire crew was on the scene, and CPKC released a statement stating that they have initiated their emergency response plan and are actively coordinating a comprehensive response to the incident.

As the situation unfolds, authorities will continue to monitor and assess the impact of the derailment and fire. Efforts will be made to contain the blaze and prevent any further environmental hazards.