It must be somewhat ironic for the U.S. progressive moment that a day after Obama officially slammed the seal shut on Transcanada's Keystone XL pipeline after a seven year "review" (and days after the company itself withdrew its application, something which the admin ignored just so it could have the final say on the mater), moments ago an oil tanker train derailed north of Alma, Wisconsin along the Mississippi River 80 miles south of Minneapolis, with at least 32 cars off the tracks.
The train belongs to BNSF - a company owned by Warren Buffett, and best known being directly involved in most of the recent oil train accidents. As such, this is the latest accident involving a "safe" Warren Buffett-owned train carrying toxic commodities, in a year where this "safe" Buffett-endorsed medium of transportation has already seen a record number of accidents.
As an reference point, here is a smattering of comparable headlines from just this year:
- Massive Fire Rages After Another Buffett-Owned Oiltrain Derails In North Dakota, Town Evacuated [7]
- Dramatic Explosion Footage: Warren Buffett-Owned Oil Freight Train Derails, Bursts Into Flames [8]
- Train Carrying Toxic Gas Derails In Tennessee, Catches Fire; Thousands Evacuated [9]
And here is the latest one.
[10]
[11]
According to Fox9 [12], the Buffalo County sheriff's office says 32 cars derailed north of Alma around 8:50 am prompting several road closures and a voluntary evacuation of the affected area, according to the Buffalo County sheriff's office. There are no reports of fire, smoke or injuries, BNSF Railway told the Associated Press.
Highway 35 is closed between North Main Street and Riverview Dr. in Alma, WI to Highway 35 and Spring Creek Road. Highway 37 is closed from County Road S to Highway 35. The Buffalo County sheriff's office says it is unknown when the roads will reopen.
RT adds that some tankers containing denatured alcohol, according to the sheriff’s office. A voluntary evacuation has been announced.
Emergency crews are working with BNSF and the La Crosse hazmat regional team to evaluate the derailment and determine when roads can reopen and people can return to their homes
Buffalo Co Sheriff has Hwy 35 closed north of #Alma [13] about a 1.5 miles from #train [14] #derailment [15] #news8 [16] pic.twitter.com/4r8bWqe3RZ [17]
— Kyle Dimke (@news8dimke) November 7, 2015 [18]
The cause of the accident is not yet clear. There have been no reports of injuries. The derailment has prompted several road closures, according to the Buffalo County sheriff’s office.
#BREAKING [19]: Train derails near Alma, Wis., voluntary evacuations underway (Photo: WRDN 1430/Facebook) pic.twitter.com/CJTKoc4P8v [20]
— Grasswire Now (@GrasswireNow) November 7, 2015 [21]
In July, more than 5,000 people in eastern Tennessee were evacuated after a freight train carrying “highly flammable and toxic gas” derailed and caught fire. Several firefighters were injured while battling the flames.
This is what we said in May:
There have been two massive BNSF oil train derailments in the US in the past two months pic.twitter.com/uLUUV2ZCds [22]
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) May 6, 2015 [23]
And now make that 3 in the past 8 months. But at least the environment is safe because Obama finally pulled the plug on the "dangerous" Keystone XL pipeline.
