Federal investigators say the BNSF Railway Company is analyzing a piece of fractured rail following last month’s fiery train derailment in Raymond, Minnesota.
The NTSB’s preliminary report was released Tuesday, though it did not say definitively if the broken rail caused the crash.
The report found the derailment forced about 800 people from their homes in the southwestern city of Raymond. In total, 23 cars derailed, 10 of which contained denatured ethanol that spilled as a result.
“Based on these examinations, hazardous material was released from five derailed tank cars. Two tank cars sustained punctured shells. The ethanol released through these punctures ignited and caused thermal damage to the manway gaskets of three previously unbreached tank cars, which released more ethanol through their compromised manways and spread the fire,” the NTSB shared in its report. “The thermally damaged manways had been sealed with elastomeric butadiene acrylonitrile gaskets that, according to manufacturer data, had an upper-temperature performance of 225 degrees Fahrenheit.”
BNSF estimates the derailment caused $1.9 million in damages to equipment and track infrastructure.
The train was going 43 MPH when it derailed just before 1 a.m. on March 30.
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