Buttigieg responded a little quicker this time.
According to a report from The New York Post, a train carrying ethanol and corn syrup derailed in Minnesota, resulting in a fiery explosion and calls to evacuate the area.
“Officials said 14 of the train’s 40 cars were hauling hazardous materials, ‘including ethanol, which was released – leading to a fire,’ US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN,” according to the NYP.
“We’ve been in touch with the governor,” Buttigieg said, adding that Environmental Protection Agency officials were headed to the site of the derailment “given the hazardous material situation.” Ethanol is a highly flammable chemical, and exposure to it can lead to coughing, dizziness, a burning sensation in the eyes, drowsiness and unconsciousness.
From The New York Post:
Buttigieg said he has received no reports of deaths or injuries as a result of the derailment.
The BNSF train derailed in the small town of Raymond, about 100 miles west of Minneapolis, at about 1 a.m., Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson said in a statement.
The cause of the derailment has not yet been determined.
Local reporter Pauleen Le shared footage from the wreckage:
Better look at @BNSFRailway 22 car train derailment now that it’s lighter out. Cars carrying ethanol and corn syrup. Been burning since 1am. 1/2 mile radius around crash has been evacuated. @MnDOTsouthwest reporting hwy 23 will be closed until TOMORROW at noon @WCCO pic.twitter.com/pQwxW8jrSk
— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) March 30, 2023
