Fiery crude oil train wreck in North Dakota

A BNSF crude oil unit train derailed near the small North Dakota town of Heimdal, at 7:30 a.m. CDT on May 6, 2015, resulting in explosions and fire.

Ten cars burst into flames, forcing evacuation of the town, which in 2010 had a population of 27, as well as several farms near the crash site. No injuries were reported. Heimdal is located in Wells County, N.Dak., roughly halfway between Minot and Grand Forks, on the BNSF Northern Corridor main line.

National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration investigators were reported as being on their way to the scene.

BNSF issued the following statement: “At approximately 7:30 am CDT today, a train derailed at Heimdal, N.Dak., carrying crude oil. The train consisted of 109 total cars—107 cars loaded with crude oil and two buffer cars loaded with sand. There are no injuries but there is a fire at the scene. The tank cars involved in the incident are the unjacketed CPC-1232 models. Local first responders are on the scene as are BNSF personnel. Additional BNSF personnel are en route. BNSF team members will continue to assist first responders.”

The derailment was the fifth this year of a crude oil train in North America. It occured a five days after the Department of Transportation announced a new rulemaking for tank cars carrying flammable liquids.

FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg said in a statement that the accident “is yet another reminder of why we issued a significant, comprehensive rule aimed at improving the safe transport of high hazard flammable liquids. The FRA will continue to look at all options available to us to improve safety and mitigate risks.”

It was not immediately known if the oil had been processed under North Dakota’s new rules that were meant to reduce the volatility of North Dakota crude by stripping out gases that can easily ignite. North Dakota officials have said the rules would make the volatility of treated oil comparable to gasoline. Critics have said the state’s requirements were too lax and insufficient to prevent major fires.