Train derails in Minnesota, sparking large fire and prompting evacuations

An early morning train derailment in the small town of Raymond in west-central Minnesota started a large fire and resulted in evacuations, authorities said.

BNSF Railway said in a statement that about 22 cars of a train carrying ethanol and corn syrup among other things left the tracks at about 1:02 a.m. No one was hurt, the carrier said.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Department said several cars were burning and an evacuation zone was set up with a half-mile radius around the derailment site. A shelter was set up in a nearby school and the shelter was to be moved to a church later in the day so the school could hold classes, CBS Minnesota reported, adding that some 150 people spent the night in the shelter. The Red Cross was assisting.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that the Federal Railroad Administration was on scene, saying, “We are tracking closely as more details emerge and will be involved in investigation.”

Raymond is a town of about 800 residents about two hours west of the Twin Cities, CBS Minnesota points out.