Montana train derailment causes consumer product spill, no injuries

A train wreck in Montana miraculously resulted in no injuries Friday afternoon, despite derailing 11 train cars, officials say.

The derailment happened on BNSF Railway tracks at 5:39 p.m. local time near the Milk River, east of the town of Havre.

BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent told the Associated Press that 11 cars derailed. The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

The line was later reopened to service Saturday amid cleanup efforts. One of the cars that derailed had been carrying paint thinner, but did not spill.

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The cars that had spilled were carrying consumer goods such as napkins, cake mix and carrots.

The derailment comes as railways, which are mostly self-regulating, are increasingly scrutinized by unions and lawmakers over safety and environmental concerns.

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An Amtrak derailment that occurred 50 miles west of Friday's crash site had killed three people and injured dozens of others in 2021. The BNSF track where the train derailed had been curved, investigators determined.

In June, a railroad bridge in southern Montana collapsed and sent oil product-carrying cars into the Yellowstone River. 66 tons of tar polluted the river.

With 32,500 miles of rail, BNSF operates one of the largest freight railroad networks in North America, according to the company's website.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.