CN freight train derails in northwestern Ontario

EMO - A Canadian National Railway freight train derailed in Emo, west of Fort Frances, early Tuesday morning.

A railway spokesperson told News Watch that preliminary reports indicate all derailed cars were carrying potash.

She said there have been no reports involving dangerous goods so far.

The spokesperson did not disclose the number of cars involved, but the Ontario Provincial Police reported that 14 cars derailed.

Emo Mayor Harold McQuaker said around 7:30 a.m., seven or eight cars had left the tracks.

CN crews and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, but the OPP said no one was injured and there was no fire.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

A police spokesperson said some crossings were closed due to the derailment, but McQuaker said in an interview later that morning that all crossings had reopened.

"It's just damage to the rails. Contractors are on their way to fix it, so everything is being dealt with in a timely manner," he said.

CN has not yet said how long it will take to restore normal rail operations.

The railway has mobilized multiple resources, including railway police, transportation, track maintenance, engineering, and signal teams.

In recent years, there have been several derailments in the Rainy River district, including one in Emo in 2020 involving tanker cars carrying crude oil, which raised safety concerns among local officials.

Source: https://www.nwonewswatch.com/local-news/cn-freight-train-derails-in-northwestern-ontario-10180838