A bridge carrying freight cars and a freight train carrying hazardous materials collapsed on the Yellowstone River in Montana on Saturday, Stillwater County Emergency Management said.
No one was injured in the crash, which happened about 60 kilometers west of Billings. Near the crash, in a sparsely populated area of the Yellowstone River Valley, there are farms and farmland.
Several wagons of the freight train fell into the water. The wagons were carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, so officials shut off drinking water sources in the Yellowstone River downstream from the bridge while they assess whether the dangerous material entered the water. According to an on-site report by Andhra News Agency, yellow liquid was leaking from the wagons that fell into the water.
Stillwater County Emergency Management said there was no immediate danger to those working at the scene. He added that the material that entered the water was diluted by the swollen river.
The bridge collapse also destroyed the fiber optic cable of Internet provider Global Net. The service provider has indicated that there may be interruptions in its customers’ internet access.
In nearby Yellowstone County, officials asked residents to conserve water because restrictions imposed by the hazardous material spill could cause water shortages.
The Central Railway Administration is investigating the cause of the bridge collapse. Recent heavy rains have caused flooding in the river, but it is not clear if this is the cause of the accident.
(MTI)