Montana Rail Link Confirms Cases of Beer Spilled in Paradise Train Derailment

A train derailed along the Clark Fork River near Paradise, Mont., on April 2, 2023. Daffney Clairmont via AP

With a carriage containing butane gas cleared of leaks, emergency responders to a train derailment on Sunday morning near the town of Paradise in western Montana confirmed that no other hazardous substances were included in the freight being transported by the fated train.

Upon news of the derailment, first responders, rail owner Montana Rail Link (MRL), and local leaders worked to quickly identify the freight onboard after reports that the train had derailed at a site along the Clark Fork River just west of Paradise around 9:20 a.m.

Witnesses at the crash site reported that numerous carriages had entered the nearby waterway.

The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office told local outlet KPAX that clay-like powder could be seen coming from some of the carriages that contained what appeared to be cans of food and clay. Some of the cars were reportedly refrigerated.

State Gov. Greg Gianforte responded to initial reports of the derailment on Twitter, saying, “I was briefed this morning on the train derailment in Sanders County, and we are prepared to mobilize the state’s resources.”

Hundreds of Cases of Beer

Paradise Rural Fire District confirmed later on Sunday that while freight had been spilled into the local waterway in the 25-car derailment, there were no hazardous chemicals involved. One carriage was carrying butane gas, but that was found to be contained and not leaking, with the carriage only partially derailed.

“Visual inspection and utilizing a gas meter did not detect any leaks,” a statement from the fire district read.

“The railcars that reached the river were empty or carrying Coors Light and Blue Moon,” it said, adding, “This is not floating down the river and is secured in the derailment area.”

The Fire District, which was among the first to respond, said in a press release on Sunday night that alongside St. Regis Fire and a Plains Community Ambulance, they sent 13 firefighters and six apparatuses to respond at the crash site.

It said that MRL employees quickly assessed the damage from the derailed carriages and concluded there was no danger to the public or railway employees at the spill site.

MRL spokesman Andy Garland told The Epoch Times in a statement on Monday that a more thorough assessment of the site, which included air, soil, and water monitoring, revealed that a “small amount of fuel was released to the soil from two impacted refrigerator cars.”

The railway said that the boom deployed will “help monitor for potential diesel impacts.”

“MRL has been in communication with both local and federal authorities and will conduct any necessary site remediation, including impacted soil removal in coordination with DEQ. There continues to be no risk to the public, no reported injuries, and there are no concerns involving hazmat release.”

“We are committed to addressing any impacts to the area as a result of this accident, prioritizing the safety of our employees and the public, and understanding the reasons for this incident,” Garland said in a statement.

The cause of the derailment remains unclear.

Garland told The Epoch Times in an update on Thursday that significant progress had been made at the crash site, with many of the damaged cars and debris having been removed, and the process of site remediation underway.

“Additionally, infrastructure in the affected area has been replaced and we are expecting train traffic to resume later today when all safety measures have been met.”

Local authorities on Sunday had ordered people staying in cabins at a hot spring resort just across the river from the derailment site to evacuate as a precaution.

Guests at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort posted video of the derailment on Twitter.

Quinn’s general manager Denise Moreth told the Missoulian that reception staff described a “loud, rumbling crash, and then they heard the train derailment.”

She said this is the first derailment she has seen after two decades at Quinn’s, which usually has around four to five trains pass through daily.

Video of the derailment site from CBS affiliate KENS5 showed hundreds of cases of beer spilled from the railcars. KENS5 reported a timeline for the cleanup efforts has not yet been set.

“Over the following days and weeks, we will be working with MRL while they clean up and rebuild the track,” the Fire District said.

Derailment Risk

The toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February, triggered renewed attention to railway safety nationwide.

Since the East Palestine tragedy, numerous other train derailments have left residents near railways concerned over whether safety measures are adequate to protect them from another spill involving hazardous chemicals.

According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, 1,173 train derailments were reported across the country last year.

The American Association of Railroads (AAR), which represents the major freight railroads like Amtrak and others, said that the data showed that railway accidents are down 28 percent since 2000.

“Last month, we all saw the devastating impact a train derailment can have on a community, and we are committed to continuing our industry’s efforts to prevent what happened in East Palestine from happening elsewhere,” AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies said in a statement.

“This data makes clear that our employees’ strong safety culture, paired with the sustained, disciplined investments in maintenance and technologies that target the primary causes of accidents, deliver meaningful safety results.

“There is more work to do, but FRA’s data clearly reflects railroads’ steadfast safety commitment.”

This article has been updated to include comments from MRL.