Auto parts, wood chips spill in North Thompson train derailment

There were no hazardous spills and no injuries when a CN train derailed near Barriere Wednesday evening.

CN Rail said in a written statement the derailment forced five cars off the mainline at 5:40 p.m., March 12. Though the tracks and the cars were damaged, there were no injuries, spills or fires.

The cars carrying auto parts and wood chips left the track on the south end of Barriere near Russell Street, while heading toward Kamloops. Aerial photos from the scene show it happened on the mainline just south of a split where two tracks run parallel through the town.

The rail company said crews worked through the night and will remain there while cleanup continues. Despite the damage, train movements are expected to start again this afternoon, CN said.

“CN would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused by this event and thanks local first responders for their assistance,” the statement said.

Nothing of the spill, including the auto parts and wood chips inside the cars, landed in the nearby North Thompson River, according to the BC Ministry of Environment.

The ministry said it is aware of the incident and environmental emergency response officers are monitoring the situation. It said CN is managing the cleanup.

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board said it was aware of the reported derailment and it’s gathering information. So far, it hasn’t started an official investigation.