Montana Train Derailment Spills Hundreds of Boxes of Coors Light and Blue Moon Into Clark Fork River
A Montana train derailment spilled hundreds of boxes of beer toward the Clark Fork River early Sunday morning. (Photo: Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District/Facebook)
Around 25 freight cars carrying Blue Moon and Coors Light tumbled off the tracks in northwestern Montana on Sunday morning, marking the latest in a string of high-profile train derailments.
Several fallen cars were photographed poking into the Clark Fork River while hundreds of beer boxes lay strewn across the shoreline. Authorities say the derailment area is secured and no injuries or evacuations were reported.
A group of fishermen gathers beer from the wreckage. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP)
Local firefighters and representatives from Montana Trail Link, the company operating the train, convened to assess the damage after the incident occurred at 9:30 am on Sunday. The company says that the cause of the derailment is still being investigated, but assured the public that no hazardous materials were being carried on the freight cars.
“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,” said Montana Trail Link.
Train derailments have prompted a spike in public concern over the past few months. In February, a derailment in East Palestine, Ohio grabbed national headlines after freight cars burst into flames and spilled toxic chemicals into the surrounding community, forcing the evacuation of over 5,000 residents.
Last week, hundreds were evacuated from Raymond, Minnesota after a derailed train carrying ethanol and corn syrup caught fire in a similar series of events.
Though these incidents rapidly gained notoriety, they were unfortunately not unprecedented. According to NPR, approximately three train derailments occur per day in the United States, often attributed to either human error or track defects.
Lawmakers have been rushing to take action. On March 1st, Senators JD Vance, John Fetterman and Marco Rubio among others introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023. Key measures include enhanced safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, requirements for wayside defect defectors and increased fines for rail carrier “wrongdoings.”
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