Crews work 24 hours to put out flames after a train carrying highly flammable ethanol derailed in Minnesota

Crews work 24 hours to put out flames after a train carrying highly flammable ethanol derailed in Minnesota

Nearly a day after a train carrying a highly flammable chemical derailed and caught fire in a small town in southwestern Minnesota, crews were working overnight to extinguish the flames as local officials assured residents that the water underground and air were safe.

Of the 22 railcars that derailed in Raymond, Minnesota, on Thursday morning, four containing ethanol broke apart and caught fire, the US Environmental Protection Agency said. Other rail cars carrying the substance were also at risk of releasing the chemical, the EPA said. Other cars that derailed contained corn syrup, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office said.

The EPA is at the scene of the accident and has been monitoring the air for particles and other compounds, noting that there has not been a severe impact on the community so far.