The cleanup of a train wreck that occurred in the tiny village of Ebenezer July 10 will take another two to three weeks to complete.
Ray Miller, Ebenezer fire chief and council member, explained that tanker cars containing molten sulphur had to be left at the scene so the contents can cool and solidify before CN can cut the tanks open and remove the product. He likened the tankers to large thermoses; the sulphur is transported in a liquid form at approximately 290 degrees Fahrenheit for ease of transfer.
The company has security guards manning the site 24 hours a day.
When the train derailed at approximately 1:50 p.m. Friday, some of the molten sulphur leaked into the ditch beside the tracks and into a nearby slough. Yorkton fire chief Trevor Morrisey confirmed that three cars containing sulphur were punctured and leaked.
The RCMP evacuated a dozen nearby homes while firefighters from Ebenezer, Rhein and Yorkton contained the spill by building up a berm around the area.
The villagers were allowed back into their homes later Friday evening.
CN is reporting minimal environmental impact, but village officials are expecting to have a meeting with the province’s Water Security Agency this week to further assess the situation.
According to an eyewitness, there was a grinding sound just before one of the cars jumped the track causing 11 more to pile up behind it. Seven of the 12 derailed cars contained cement, four were carrying liquid sulphur and one was empty.
CN crews worked through the night and Saturday to replace the section of track that was damaged in the wreck.
Miller said the company has been very good about keeping the village informed about what is going on, but the accident has opened his eyes to the potential hazards that are passing through the town every day.
“It could have been a lot worse,” he said.
Aside from the ongoing cleanup, Miller said things are back to normal.
“Everybody is cool, nobody’s upset,” he said. “I think people were quite pleased with the way we handled it.”
He added that the Rhein and Yorkton fire departments provided “fantastic support.”
