GRAETTINGER, Iowa (AP) - Investigators have determined that 322,000 gallons of ethanol were released during a northwest Iowa train derailment that erupted into flames.
The Union Pacific train derailed early March 10 on a trestle bridge spanning a creek near Graettinger (GREHT’-ihn-jur), about 160 miles (257 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines. Five of the 20 derailed tankers plunged into Jack Creek. No injuries were reported in the sparsely populated area.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report Thursday that 14 of the tankers lost their ethanol load. The Iowa Natural Resources Department said after the crash that it didn’t appear much ethanol had gone into the creek during the derailment and that 1,600 gallons were spilled from two of the tankers as they were pulled from the creek channel.
The derailed cars were considered by federal investigators as older, less sturdy tankers of the type being phased out over the next dozen years. The fire took more than 2½ days to burn itself out.
The report didn’t include any conclusions about what caused the derailment. The train was moving at 30 mph - the maximum allowed on the stretch of track - at the time. Safety board spokesman Peter Knudson said Monday that the investigation so far shows that when the cars derailed, it triggered an automatic emergency braking. About 400 feet of track and the trestle bridge were destroyed, the report said.
Investigators have interviewed the crew of the train and the crew of the train that preceded it through the area. Rail samples and video from the lead locomotive’s recorder will be analyzed.
A conclusion on what caused the derailment isn’t expected for at least a year, Knudson said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.