A 37-car train with no engineer carrying liquid propane rolled backward for over a mile late Sunday afternoon, crossing one major road before derailing.
The unmanned Burlington Northern Santa Fe train ran off the track on a spur leading to a local hop warehouse, damaging the loading dock and puncturing the outer wall of a tank car.
Fortunately, the inner wall held, preventing release of any product. Four tank cars carrying 33,000 gallons each derailed. Two two landed on their sides and the others, leaning precariously.
A multi-agency command post, led by Yakima Fire Department's Capt. Joe Riel and BC Tom Sevigny, was maintained until late Monday night as crews worked to upright the cars.
Riel, a member of the Tri-County Hazmat team, explained that one gallon of liquid propane could produce up to 270 gallons of vapor. Evacuation plans were established in case there was a problem.
Several pipe layer cranes, basically crawler tractors with side booms and counterweights, were brought in by BNSF to move the cars, while Yakima Fire Dept. monitored the operation.
More than 24 hours after the incident, the scene was cleared with no leakage.
