Via Reuters, a Canadian National Railway train carrying crude oil and propane derailed near a village in New Brunswick, Canada, late Tuesday, sparking a fire. There were no injuries, but approximately 45 homes were evacuated and officials feared further damage from potential propane car explosions. The incident will likely intensify the scrutiny on the crude-by-rail industry, which has seen a bevy of accidents in the past year including the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, disaster in July that killed at least 47 people.
The New Brunswick derailment occurred just eight days after a crude oil train accident in Casselton, N.D., that prompted evacuations and burned 21 rail cars. Shortly after the Casselton incident, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) warned the public, shippers and emergency responders that crude oil from the Bakken Shale may be more flammable than traditional heavy crude. It is not yet known what type of crude oil was in the cars involved in Tuesday’s derailment.
It remains to be seen whether or not the string of incidents will compel more stringent standards for DOT 111 rail cars, which have been labeled “inadequate” by some experts due to relatively high probability of derailment and puncture. Railroad associations have called on the PHMSA to establish new rules for DOT 111 that would improve puncture and fire resistance, among other things.
