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Derailment in Wever interrupts rail traffic
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| Burlington Northern Santa Fe workers and emergency crews were on the scene of a 15-car derailment of a coal train Tuesday afternoon near the 175th Street crossing in Wever. The cause of the derailment is not yet known. The cars plowed into the bank next to the track pushing up large mounds of dirt. There also were bent rails thrown around the accident scene. BNSF had no estimate as to when the track would be reopened. |
By Joe Benedict/MVM News Network
WEVER - There probably isn't a whole lot of excitement on a regular Tuesday afternoon at the Green Bay Tap in Wever. However, there were a few frightening moments when about 15 cars of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe coal train derailed less than a block away.
“She said, ‘Is it always that loud?'” Matt Farris said, quoting Sam Thompson with whom he was eating lunch.
Thompson said the lights flickered and came back on and the sound of a train wreck is pretty loud.
Farris said it didn't take too long for them to realize what was going on down the street.
“The place was shaking pretty good,” Farris said.
Farris and Thompson walked out the back door of the tap and saw train cars laying everywhere.
The two thought to call 911, which got the rescue and police crews in motion to the scene where mangled coal cars and bent rails were strewn for more than a block.
A few sections of rail somehow managed to stay connected and were bowed out in a U shape by the force of the cars sliding along the tracks. Emergency crews kept people away from the section in case one of the rails broke and sent shrapnel flying.
Several of the cars stayed upright, but plowed into a bank pushing dirt up. The bank apparently saved one person's garage from being destroyed. The rail car stopped 15 feet from striking the garage.
Part of the town lost electricity as the one of the train cars pulled down a power line.
Steve Forsberg, BNSF public relations director, said there is no estimate as to when the track will reopen.
He said the train had 118 cars and the 45th through 59th cars derailed. He confirmed there were no injuries.
It will take some time to determine exactly what caused the derailment.
“She said, ‘Is it always that loud?'” Matt Farris said, quoting Sam Thompson with whom he was eating lunch.
Thompson said the lights flickered and came back on and the sound of a train wreck is pretty loud.
Farris said it didn't take too long for them to realize what was going on down the street.
“The place was shaking pretty good,” Farris said.
Farris and Thompson walked out the back door of the tap and saw train cars laying everywhere.
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A few sections of rail somehow managed to stay connected and were bowed out in a U shape by the force of the cars sliding along the tracks. Emergency crews kept people away from the section in case one of the rails broke and sent shrapnel flying.
Several of the cars stayed upright, but plowed into a bank pushing dirt up. The bank apparently saved one person's garage from being destroyed. The rail car stopped 15 feet from striking the garage.
Part of the town lost electricity as the one of the train cars pulled down a power line.
Steve Forsberg, BNSF public relations director, said there is no estimate as to when the track will reopen.
He said the train had 118 cars and the 45th through 59th cars derailed. He confirmed there were no injuries.
It will take some time to determine exactly what caused the derailment.
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