A bridge that crosses Yellowstone River near Laurel, Montana collapsed, plunging several cars of a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals into the river.
The train cars were carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services said. There were three asphalt cars and four sulphur cars that fell into the river.
The Yellowstone River flows northeast From Yellowstone National Park into the Missouri River.
Officials shut down drinking water intakes downstream while they evaluated the danger after the accident on Saturday. An Associated Press reporter witnessed a yellow substance coming out of some of the tank cars.
Nearby Yellowstone County also closed its drinking water pumps and has asked residents to conserve water.
“We are committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident,” Montana Rail Link spokesman Andy Garland said in a statement.
The train crew was safe and no injuries were reported. Railroad crews were at the scene in Stillwater County, near the town of Columbus, about 40 miles (about 64 kilometers) west of Billings. The area is in a sparsely populated section of the Yellowstone River Valley, surrounded by ranch and farmland. The river there flows away from Yellowstone National Park, which is about 110 miles (177 kilometers) southwest.
The bridge collapse also took out a fiber-optic cable providing internet service to many customers in the state.
The cause of the collapse is under investigation. The river was swollen with recent heavy rains, but it’s unclear whether that was a factor. The Yellowstone saw record flooding in 2022 that caused extensive damage to Yellowstone National Park and adjacent towns in Montana.
