Montana bridge collapse sends train cars into Yellowstone River, prompting federal response

A bridge collapse early Saturday in Montana sent several freight train cars crashing into the Yellowstone River, authorities said. The train was carrying hazardous materials, but it is unclear if any of those materials leaked.

The collapse happened around 6 a.m. local time in a section of the river between Reed Point and Columbus, according to Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services, which is about 60 miles west of Billings. There were no news of injuries.

At least three of the Montana Rail Link cars that collapsed in the river contained hot asphalt and four were carrying molten sulfur, the agency said, later adding that a hazardous materials impact was “not expected” in the county’s cities.

In a statement, Montana Rail Link said that “both substances quickly solidify when exposed to colder temperatures.”

Montana Rail Link said two rail cars containing sodium hydrogen sulfate, an acidic salt, did not enter the water, and initial air and water tests found no evidence of leaks.

Multiple local and federal agencies were on the scene, including officials from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that he had spoken with Montana Governor Greg Gianforte about the incident and that “residents concerned about potential impacts should follow information and instructions from local authorities.”

The state department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks saying the river would be closed and he asked boaters to avoid the area.

The public works department of the city of Billings, which borders the river, wrote on Facebook on Saturday afternoon that “there is very little chance that any hazardous material will arrive” in the city. The department initially reported that their plan was to “shut off the hydrant for the time it takes for any material to pass through Billings.”

The nearby Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office initially fixed in a Facebook post that several tank cars were “leaking petroleum products near the Yellowstone River.” However, the Stillwater County News, a local newspaper, later reported that none of the freight cars were carrying oil.