Cargo train derails into Mississippi River in Wisconsin

Publish date: 2024-07-18

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A cargo train derailed along Wisconsin’s Highway 35 on Thursday, with two train cars falling into the Mississippi River.

State officials said the trail derailment occurred at around 12:15 p.m. near the Lansing Bridge between De Soto and Ferryville, with 20 BNSF train cars affected as first responders and crews rushed to tend to the injured and removed the cars from the river.

Officials confirmed there were no fatalities involved in the crash, and at least four people were taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, local outlet WXOW reported.

Shocking video from a driver along the highway shows the aftermath of the derailment, with the two train cars floating along the river.

US Rep. Derrick Van Orden, of Wisconsin, who sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said his office was made aware of the crash shortly after it happened.

“My staff is traveling to the site, and Congressman Troy Nehls, who Chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Rail, has also made staff available to assist our team,” Van Orden said in a statement.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and determine next steps.”

Crawford Co. Emergency Management’s Marc Myhre said any hazardous material on board the train remains in place during the derailment and does not pose a danger to the public or emergency responders.

The main track is blocked in both directions as clean up continues at the site.

Officials said the cause of the derailment is still not known.

Along with the Ferryvill and De Soto fire departments, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Crawford County Hazmat team were deployed to contain any spillage from the railcars.

BNSF did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Thursday’s incident is only the latest example in a series of recent derailments across the nation that have raised infrastructure concerns following the toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

Earlier this month, a train carrying hazardous material derailed in Rockwood, Maine, while another crash in April caused 25 cars to spill their cargo into a Montana river.

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