Cleanup continuing after train derailment near Macoun

The cleanup of a train derailment near the village of Macoun continued Friday as investigators try to find out what caused a fiery scene.

CP Rail says two train cars carrying liquefied petroleum gas caught fire after multiple cars came off the tracks Thursday at around 10 a.m. near the village northwest of Estevan.

The rail company says its hazardous materials experts were on the scene with local emergency crews to assess the damage.

Carman Dodd-Vicary, Macoun’s chief administrative officer, said five families had to be evacuated from their homes because of their proximity to the crash.

“They are all still away at this time. It was a little bit of work, but working with five families is a little bit easier than having to work with evacuating an entire community,” Dodd-Vicary said.

She said the rail company and local officials acted immediately.

“The response from the province, CP Rail, public safety agents, local EMS (and) first responders is unbelievable, (as is) the amount of people working on this,” Dodd-Vicary said.

She also said the fire from the derailment was still active early Friday.

CP Rail spokesperson Andy Cummings said in a statement that repairs to the rail tracks were completed Friday. Cummings noted there weren’t any injuries in the crash.

The Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of investigators to the scene to determine the cause of the derailment.

The Highway Hotline showed Friday afternoon that Highway 39 remained closed in both directions. There wasn’t a timeline of when lanes will reopen.