PARADISE, Mont. — Another day, another derailment. Or so it seems.
Some 25 cars of a Montana Rail Link train derailed west of the town of Paradise, with some of the cars entering the Clark Fork River, CNN reports. The derailment occurred about 9:20 a.m., with no injuries reported.
Photographs suggest the train was a mixed manifest freight; the Missoulan newspaper reports one derailed car contained hazardous material — butane — but none was released. The Missoulan website earlier showed a photo of men in a boat recovering beer spilled from a mechanical refrigerator car. Other than beer, the only other material known to have been spilled was some powered clay.
KPAX-TV reports the accident occurred near a popular resort, Quinn’s Hot Springs. The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office reports the derailment poses no hazard. The resort’s manager told the station that some guests have been evacuated from their cabins because of noise and potential risk, with the derailment posing “and inconvenience to the comfort and stay of [our] guests.”
The Missoulan reported some cars were derailed inside a tunnel, and said some of the rail roadbed appeared to have collapsed into the river. Montana Rail Link spokesman Andy Garland told the newspaper it was unclear how long it would take to clear the scene and reopen the route.
The derailment site is about 50 miles northwest of Missoula.
— Updated at 9:55 p.m. CDT with details on carload of butane, other information.
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