BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- A train that derailed and caught fire early Wednesday in rural North Dakota was hauling crude from the state's oil patch, raising questions about whether new state standards intended to reduce the volatility of such shipments are sufficient. The six tank cars that exploded into flames were a model slated to be phased out or retrofitted by 2020 under a federal rule announced last week. It's the fifth fiery accident since February involving that type of tank car, and industry critics responded to the latest with calls for them to be taken off the tracks immediately to prevent further fires. No injuries were reported in the derailment of the 109-car BNSF railway train at around 7:30 a.m. That prompted the evacuation of the 20-resident town of Heimdal, about 115 miles northeast of Bismarck. The Health Department was monitoring air quality and advising people not to breathe in the smoke. The danger from the smoke was mainly the particles it contains such as ash, not toxic chemicals, State Environmental Health Chief Dave Glatt said. Rain might have helped wash some of the particles out of the smoke, though it might also keep the plume closer to the ground and more likely to be encountered by people, he said. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, BNSF vice president Mike Trevino said, the intensity of the blaze prevented firefighters from directly attacking the flames. As of Wednesday evening, two cars out of six continued to burn, he said. State officials initially reported 10 cars on fire but later revised that to six. They were hauling Bakken oil loaded in the Tioga area, said Jeff Zent, spokesman for Gov. Jack Dalrymple. The six cars that caught fire were carrying approximately 180,000 gallons of oil, Trevino said. Investigators haven't been able to get close enough to the spill to determine how much of the oil burned off, spilled or remained in the cars, authorities said. Curt Benson, a 68-year-old retired sheriff who alerted authorities, said he was getting ready for the day when the explosion outside town rattled his house. With the large number of oil trains that come through the community each day, he figured that was the cause. |