Repost from THonline.com, Dubuque, IA
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UPDATE: Crude oil burning after train derails near Galena
By TH Media, March 5, 2015 4:15 pm | Updated: 5:02 pm, Thu Mar 5, 2015
GALENA, Ill. — A firefighter near the scene of a derailed BNSF Railway train in rural Jo Daviess County said crude oil is burning after the wreck.
No injuries have been reported.
Multiple Illinois agencies have responded to the derailment, including fire departments from Galena, East Dubuque and Menominee-Dunleith. Grant County, Wis., hazardous material responders are on scene, as are firefighters from Dubuque.
The train derailed south of Galena at approximately 1:20 p.m., according to a statement from BSNF.
BNSF said the train has 105 cars, 103 of which were carrying crude oil. It’s unclear how many cars have derailed.
BNSF has not confirmed that the derailed cars are leaking. However, a firefighter responding to the scene said crude oil has caught fire. Smoke could be seen rising the scene.
Jo Daviees County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Moser says several cars have caught fire as a result of the derailment. However, the blaze hasn’t prompted any evacuations, although that may change.
BNSF officials say railroad representatives are headed to the scene of the derailment. The railroad is working with local responders and has notified the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration, according to the statement.
Dubuque Fire Chief Rick Steines said he has deployed firefighters with foam fire suppression equipment to a derailment staging area.
“We sent two people with our foam trailer because of a request we got form Jo Daviess County,” he said.
Steines said he didn’t know any specific details about the wreck.
Attempts to reach the Galena Fire Department have been unsuccessful. The BNSF statement said no additional details are available.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Department is responding to a reported train derailment near the ferry landing in the Galena area.
The preliminary information from authorities is that five railcars are involved.
More information will be available soon.
TH Media is sending staff to the scene.