No Foul Play Suspected After Second Train Derails In Weld County
WELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Another train derailment occurred in Weld County Monday around 8:50 p.m.
It was the second derailment in Weld County since Sunday. It happened just north of the town of La Salle where Highway 85 meets Weld County Road 52.
The first train derailment occurred on Sunday. At least 27 cars jumped the tracks and dumped tons of coal near the town of Hudson.
There were no injuries reported in Tuesday's derailment and crews were working to clear three Union Pacific cars that overturned. Two of the cars were carrying fertilizer pellets and the third was empty, according to Mark Davis with Union Pacific.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation but Davis said foul play was ruled out early.
Davis said because the derailments happened on two different rail lines owned by two different companies, he's "unwilling to draw on comparisons or conclusions."
Davis said he likens the urea-based fertilizer pellets that spilled to Miracle Grow. It's not clear how much material spilled.
Janelle Burrier's parents live near the spill.
"I worry about my parents with them breathing that stuff in, and with my daughter being out here; she loves to visit her grandma and grandpa and I don't want her breathing in that stuff," Burrier said.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Department of Natural Resources were checking on Tuesday's derailment to see if there's a health concern.
It could take a week to 10 days for the cleanup to be totally completed.
An expert from Colorado State University said there are no environmental or health impacts from the derailment.