Soymeal train derails in Aberdeen

There’s no hazmat risk, said emergency services

A Puget Sound & Pacific train derailed in Aberdeen near West 1st Street on Tuesday evening around 9 p.m., blocking the crossing.

The engine and five cars carrying soymeal derailed, but no injuries were reported, said Tom Ciuba, vice president of communications for PSAP’s parent company, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services.

“One of the derailed railcars overturned and spilled roughly 500 pounds of soymeal on the ground,” Ciuba said in an email. “A contractor will be onsite this morning to begin the clean-up and re-railing process, which is expected to go through Saturday morning.”

The contractor, Jammies Environmental Inc., was onsite on Wednesday morning. The process will go in stages, Ciuba said: clean up the spill, right the cars and get them out of the crossing area, and repair any damaged road or trackage.

Police and fire responded to the derailment, but their involvement was largely unnecessary without a fire or hazardous materials risk, said Aberdeen Fire Chief Dave Golding.

“We would ask people to stay away from the cars, some appear to be a little unstable,” said Cmdr. Steve Timmons of the Aberdeen Police Department.

The railroad is investigating the cause of the crash, Ciuba said. The cause of the crash does not appear to be criminal in nature, Timmons said.

The Port of Grays Harbor has dual access to the marine terminal complex, said Kayla Dunlap, the port’s director for community and government relations, and does not expect Ag Processing Inc’s operations to be affected.

Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.