Train derailment in Raymond Minnesota

Highway 23 is still closed and could be through the weekend. 

The quick timeline in Raymond Minnesota train derailment

1 am –
– 22 train cars derailed and caught on fire in Raymond. Trains contained Ethanol and corn syrup.
– 911 call comes in about the train derailment
– evacuation started – People within a mile of the derailment were evacuated to Prinsburg School – 250 homes were evacuated.

Soon after 1 am –
– firefighters arrived and the chief summoned help from surrounding areas
– flames were said to be 30ft high
– highway 23 was closed

6 am

– fire fighters have put 10’s of thousands of gallons of water on the train, and will let it just burn out.

12-1230

– residents were allowed back home. Fire was still burning.
– no injuries reported

Here’s the best video I can find from early this am:

@mprnews

Evacuation has ended after a train derailed in western Minnesota on Thursday. (Drone video by Kerem Yücel) #mprnews #trainderailed #trainderailment #minnesota #trains

♬ Breaking News Background Music (Basic A)(1001538) – LEOPARD

The press release from Kandiyohi County Sheriff:

Location (Raymond, MN) – On March 30, 2023 at approximately 1:00 am, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center was notified of a train derailment in the city of Raymond, MN, which is in southwestern Kandiyohi County.

Emergency personnel were dispatched and soon located a Burlington Northern Sante Fe train that had numerous rail cars derail on the western edge of Raymond but within the city limits. Fire departments from Raymond and numerous area departments responded as several of the derailed tankers started on fire and were determined to be carrying a form of ethanol and others with a corn syrup liquid.

An evacual on area of ½ mile was established around the crash site and law enforcement officers and other MS assisted with that evacuation. Residents were instructed to leave their homes and an emergency collection site for those with nowhere to go was established at the Central Minnesota Christian School building in nearby Prinsburg. MN.

The site remains active as the fire is being contained, no travel is advised to the city of Raymond. The location of the shelter will be moved later this morning to the Unity Church, also in Prinsburg, MN.

An update press release with further information will follow once additional BNSF staff are on Site

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