By: Alyssa Hong

A train carrying potentially harmful material derailed from its tracks on June 24th, Saturday in Montana. Four of them were carrying hot asphalt and another three were carrying molten sulfur. If these harmful chemicals entered the river, they could pollute the drinking water of the Yellowstone River as a result.

Two other railcars were carrying sodium hydro sulfate, a corrosive substance. Officials have not revealed whether the derailment caused the collapse of the bridge or if the collapse of the bridge caused the derailment.

Fortunately, the sodium hydro sulfate did not enter the river. “The safety of our employees and the public remains our top priority,” Montana Rail Link (MRL) said. “We are committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident.”

MRL said the accident happened around 6:45 a.m. local time while the train was heading west-bound, towards Reeds Point. Local residents said that the river was running high after an immense amount of rainfall, including a storm the evening before. This could make cleaning up the mess even more difficult.

“It’s completely muddy, so it’s bringing a lot of material down with it,” said John Counter, a local resident near the Yellowstone River. “It’s running full banks right now.”