Train derails in Boundary County
(Courtesy photo)A BNSF Railway train is buffeted by the Kootenai River after derailing late Wednesday night.
(Courtesy photo)A BNSF Railway train sits in the Kootenai River after derailing late Wednesday night. The derailment sent at least one car of the 113-car train into the water with the crew temporarily trapped before escaping the engine and sitting on the top before they were rescued.
(Courtesy photo)The scene of a BNSF Railway train derailment late Wednesday night. The derailment sent at least one car of the 113-car train into the water with the crew temporarily trapped before escaping the engine and sitting on the top before they were rescued.
(Courtesy photo)A BNSF Railway engine sits half-submerged in the Kootenai River after derailing late Wednesday night.
BONNERS FERRY — The crew of a BNSF train which derailed Wednesday night ended up in the river and possibly trapped for a period of time.
After the derailment, the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office advised 9:29 p.m. that its crews were involved in an unspecified police activity in the area of Katka Road and Toboggan Lane. According to scanner traffic, that incident was a train dereailment in the Ridge Road area about 6 miles from the Crossport area east of Twin Rivers.
The derailment sent at least one car of the 113-car train into the water with the crew temporarily trapped. However by 10 p.m., reports had two of the train crew sitting on the top of the truck and all crew members out of the train. Reports also indicate the train sinking on the front end but the train’s seven haz-mat cars — six of which were loaded — were reported to not be in the river and were instead on the riverbank.
The cars are connected together but the scene is considered treacherous.
First responders reached the scene shortly after 10 p.m. and were attempting to reach the crew at that time, according to reports.
Reports also indicate rescue crews were staging in the Crossport area. Two Bear Air Rescue was also dispatched to the scene before being called back.
“Two Bear can cancel with our thank you,” North Bench Fire Chief Gus Jackson said just before 11 p.m.
The train crew was reported rescued from the scene at about the same time.