A 25-car train derailment occurred in Paradise, Montana, on Sunday, becoming the latest train derailment reported as the trend continues to happen across the country.
According to the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District, the derailment — which occurred at roughly 9:30 a.m. Sunday on Highway 135 — did not involve the release or leak of any hazardous materials, unlike the one in East Palestine, Ohio. Therefore, officials said, the incident posed no threat to public safety.
Photos show what appear to be cases of Coors Light and Blue Moon beer near the river, but the fire department assured that these products are not floating down the river but “secured in the derailment area.” The other derailed cars that reached the water were empty, according to officials.
“We responded with 6 apparatus and 13 Firefighters. St Regis Fire sent an engine and Plains Community Ambulance responded,” the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District reported.
“The coordinated effort with our resources and Montana Rail Link, we were able to identify the products involved and that there was no hazouous [sic] materials posing an imenant [sic] threat to public safety,” the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District said in a social media update, noting that individuals “at waterfront cabins were evacuated as a safety precaution.”
Montana Rail Link worked with the department on what was described as a “thorough assessment and air monitoring.” While they did find that one car carried butane, it notes it was “partially off the tracks but not leaking.”
“Visual inspection and utilizing a gas meter did not detect any leaks,” authorities continued.
“Over the following days and weeks we will be working with MRL while they clean up and rebuild the track. If there is ever a new threat to public safety we will be on scene and coordinating directly with the incident staff and Quinn’s Hot Springs,” the department added.
The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) was briefed on the derailment and said his administration is “prepared to mobilize the state’s resources.”
This is the latest derailment to occur after a series of similar incidents across the country.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg eventually visited East Palestine, Ohio, in February, but only after former President Donald Trump visited victims and residents of the toxic train derailment there. At the time, Buttigieg was unwilling to explain why it took him nearly three weeks to visit the affected area.
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There have been more incidents this year as well. A train derailed in Nebraska in February, for example, involving 31 Union Pacific cars.
Another Ohio train derailment occurred the following month near Springfield, but harmful chemicals were not involved as was the case with the East Palestine derailment.
In late March, a Canadian Pacific train derailed in Richland County, North Dakota. This derailment did involve toxic chemicals, although reports indicated there was no danger to the surrounding community.
Further, last week, a train carrying ethanol and corn syrup derailed near Raymond, Minnesota, prompting evacuations:
On Sunday, Buttigieg vaguely stated on social media that the administration is “acting to hold freight railroads accountable,” although he did not provide specific details: