Train Derails In Rexburg

A train carrying propane derailed last Friday night in Rexburg, but the local fire and police departments didn’t find out until well after the fact.

The cars slipped off the tracks, two of them were full of propane and two had just been emptied of gasoline. Luckily, nothing caught on fire or exploded, but the interesting part is Eastern Idaho Railroad didn’t notify any local authorities the night it happened.

The Madison Fire Department heard about the train coming off the tracks through word of mouth.

“The Eastern Idaho Railroad did not notify us of the derailment and they didn’t consider it to be of any significant danger,” said Fire Chief Corey Child.

Child said when his crew investigated the accident, they quickly called in HAZ-MAT.

“Upon us looking at it, we found that two rail cars had splits in their outer tank,” said Child.

Four rail cars actually came off the tracks, two full of propane, like you would use in a grill.

“The potential there in the cars that were involved was obviously the propane that we were worried about,” said Child.

The Madison Fire Department called in the Federal Railroad Administration to check out the wreckage and a fleet from Pacific West came in from Salt Lake City, UT, to offload the propane Tuesday afternoon after it sat there all weekend.

Reporter Jessica Crandall spoke with Garrett Bolyard, a representative for the railroad. When asked why his company didn’t notify authorities at the time of the derailment, this is what he said.

“We didn’t feel it was that bad and there was no contamination or leaking cars. But, we are working with authorities now,” said Bolyard.

The propane had to be siphoned out from the tanks Tuesday before they can be lifted up by a crane and placed back onto the tracks.

Bolyard said he’s glad the company is working with local agencies now and hindsight is always 20/20.

Rexburg Police Captain Randy Lewis said, “somebody really dropped the ball on this one.”

Offloading the propane is a 24-hour process. Child said Pacific West will probably be done Wedsnesday afternoon.