Listen to this article
Approximately 4 minutes
The audio version of this article was created using text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.
Cleanup is still underway east of Cranbrook, British Columbia, after a train derailment leaked propane and forced the evacuation of some rural properties along the Kootenay River this weekend.
In a statement Sunday, company spokesman Patrick Waldron said track repairs were completed early Sunday morning and the corridor has since reopened to rail traffic following safety checks.
Crews continue to remove derailed vehicles from the scene, he said.
This was reported to the railway company. There was a crash on Saturday V remote area approximately 16 km east of Cranbrook in the south B.C.., and a preliminary assessment indicated that approximately 12 vehicles were involved in the incident, including some hauling timber and three tankers carrying propane.
The East Kootenay Regional District issued an evacuation order for five nearby properties and declared a state of emergency, but lifted both orders Saturday night after officials said an assessment found no remaining risk to the public.
British Columbia's Ministry of Environment and Parks said most of the rail cars involved in the incident contained non-hazardous goods and noted that lumber from one broken train car fell into the Kootenay River.
One propane tank located on land was reported to have leaked, it added.
Propane is usually stored in pressure tanks in the form of a colorless, odorless liquid. When he is released, it will naturally evaporates and turns into a flammable gas — creating propane leaks dangerous.
On Sunday, CPKC said the leak on the tanker had been “resolved.”
The company also said crews were able to safely move propane tanks near the tracks to prepare for unloading in the coming days, including a tank that leaked Saturday.
One of those ordered to leave was Jamie Jones, owner of a nearly 400-hectare cattle farm on the banks of the Kootenay River near Wardner.
“Some guy was waving at us and we came out to talk to him and he said we needed to get as far away as we could. There was a propane leak,” Jones said.
Jones, who runs about 750 head of cattle, said she was feeding her animals when responders told her family they needed to leave the area. They were given a short amount of time to finish caring for the herd before evacuating.
She said the railroad offers temporary housing and food if needed, but her family chose to wait it out in their car, get some food and stay tuned. By Saturday evening they were told they could return.
“We could still smell the propane,” she said.
Although propane is odorless, it is another gas that smells like rotten eggs often added to allow people to smell the gas in the event of a leak.
Jones, who has lived on the ranch for more than 20 years, said she can't remember a crash this close to home, but when she's near the tracks, she always thinks about the safety of her livestock.
“There’s a lot of grass along the paths because it’s never grazed, so in the winter, yes, a lot of animals die, and it’s mostly moose.”
The regional district urged residents and travelers on Fenwick Road to be careful around rail equipment and vehicles as cleanup continues.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada sent two investigators to the scene and says The cause of the crash is under investigation.
