The derailed vehicles carried hot asphalt and molten sulfur, officials said.
A train carrying potentially hazardous materials derailed on the Yellowstone River in Montana early Saturday, authorities said.
The incident left several tankers in the Yellowstone River and destroyed part of the railroad at the Yellowstone Twin River Bridges in Stillwater County, Montana. Officials did not say whether the derailment caused the bridge collapse or whether the collapse caused the derailment.
Three of the derailed tracks were carrying hot asphalt, and four were carrying molten sulfur, KC Williams, the director of Emergency Management for Yellowstone County, told ABC News.
Two affected tracks also carried sodium hydro sulfate, a harmful substance, but the substances did not enter the river, according to Montana Rail Link.
Drinking water in Yellowstone County is not currently affected, Williams said.
“The safety of our employees and the public remains our top priority,” MRL said. “We are committed to addressing any potential impact to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident.”
Montana Rail Link said in a statement Saturday that the incident happened at about 6:45 a.m. local time as the train was traveling westbound near the town of Reed Point. Several cars remain in the river, including several hazmat cars, the railroad operator said. No crew members were injured in the incident according to MRL.
The cause of the derailment is being investigated, the operator said, with MRL personnel and first responders on the scene. Montana Disaster and Emergency Services and the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Response Center were notified, MLR said.
Local residents told ABC News that the river was overflowing after heavy rains over the past month, including a storm the night before.
“It’s all mud, so it carries a lot of material,” said John Counter, who lives about two miles from the collapsed bridge. “It’s running all over the banks now.”
Counter added that the bridge included a section for vehicular traffic, which was removed recently. Yellowstone Public Radio reported in 2021 that the bridge section was removed after erosion made it a public hazard.
The incident on Twin Bridges Road between the towns of Reed Point and Columbus led to the closure of several public access points to the Yellowstone and Stillwater Rivers, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said Saturday.
State officials are advising the public to avoid parts of the Yellowstone River because of “potential contaminants.”
While there is no immediate threat to Yellowstone County, the sheriff’s office said, the incident has left some residents concerned about the vulnerability of their main water supply.
“All of our water comes in the river for our wells and our irrigation and everything,” Couch told ABC News. “So it’s a bit of a concern if there’s toxic stuff going into your wells.”