Posted: Jun 24, 2023 / 01:28 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 24, 2023 / 01:30 PM EDT
(KSVI/NEXSTAR) – A bridge that crosses Yellowstone River in Montana collapsed overnight, causing portions of a freight train that was traveling over it on Monday morning to derail and crash into the water below.
No crew members were injured, but gates and portions of the river have been closed over concerns of the potential spill of hazardous material, officials in Yellowstone County have confirmed.
Numerous tank cars were partially submerged in the river early Saturday, and railroad crews were at the scene in Stillwater County, near the town of Columbus, about 40 miles (about 64 kilometers) west of Billings. A yellow liquid was pouring out of tank cars, an Associated Press reporter claimed.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office initially said the damaged tankers were leaking petroleum products. The agency, however, later cited a local news outlet with more “current information” which indicated that none of the eight tankers involved in the derailment contained oil.
The leaking substances were identified as asphalt and another “slow moving” substance which has yet to be determined, according to local fire and disaster officials, according to Stillwater County News.
“There is no immediate threat to Yellowstone County. Precautions are being put in place,” the sheriff’s office said earlier on Saturday morning.
Unconfirmed reports say the bridge has been battered by high water recently, though the reason for its collapse has not been confirmed.
This is a developing story. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
