U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

BNSF Alma Ethanol Release

 
Site Contact:
Andrew Maguire
OSC

(maguire.andrew@epa.gov)

Site Location:
RR MP 353
Alma, WI 54610
 response.epa.gov/bnsfalmaethanol
NRC#: 1861981

At 0845hrs on 11/7/2015, approximately 25 cars of a BNSF freight train derailed at Milepost 353 in the St. Croix Subdivision along the eastern bank of the Mississippi River about 2 miles north of Alma, Wisconsin. Several tanker cars containing denatured alcohol (ethanol) were involved in the derailment, and it was reported that 5 of these tankers released an initial estimate of 20,000 gallons (total) of product to the Mississippi River. EPA is responding to the incident in coordination with responders from BNSF and other state, local and Federal organizations.

This website will be used to provide updates (POLREPs), photographs, data and links to important documents related to the response.


Aerial view of derailment Aerial view of derailed tanker cars Aerial view of derailment Firefighters assessing derailed tanker car Derailed tanker cars Aerial view of derailment site Aerial view of derailment site Firefighters investigating derailed tanker car Aerial view of derailment site View toward the derailment site along right of way BNSF contractors working of transferring ethanol from damaged cars and uprighting tankers View of river and work on tankers Hulcher (BNSF contractor) uprighting a tipped auto car Air boat was used to collect samples and water quality parameters Cranes uprighting tankers and pulling them from the water Tanks cars being flipped and set up to be removed via flat beds on the rail. View of derailed cars and dislodged axles from the bottom of the slope. View of ethanol tankers in water. A breach in a tanker at the spill site which released ethanol into the ballast, soil, and surface water. All leaks were stopped by mid afternoon on 11/8. BNSF contractors preparing a derailed tank to be removed from the spill site. Tankers being moved and staged for removal. BNSF workers closing a valve on an ethanol tanker. Damaged tanker being up-righted by crane. Repaired hole in a damaged ethanol tanker. Workers repairing a leaking tanker. Derailed tankers that had been moved from the water and staged onto the slope. View of train crossing over spill area. Train resumed at 0300 on 11/10/15 View of debris on west side of spill area. Pinnacle and START collecting water quality parameters on the west side of the spill area. View of sediment and debris piled on the eastern slope. View of boom on western side of spill area running north and south. View of debris and sediment of east side of spill area. Concern that debris and contaminated soil will impact environment. Railroad ties and other debris at the waters edge on the eastern side of the spill area. Soil, ballast, and debris on the slope and along the waters edge on the eastern side of the spilled area. Over turned rail car on the eastern side of the derailment. The car is not in the spill area and is the only car left on site by BNSF. Silt fence that was put up to prevent contaminated sediment form eroding in the waterway. Silt fence along the slope where the remaining auto car was left. Pinnacle collecting surface water samples. Samples were analyzed for VOC's, BTEX, and Ethanol. Pinnacle collected water quality parameters using a YSI meter. Pinnacle collected flow readings in the Mississippi river. Installed silt fence on the east side. Remaining train car and track debris seen on the slope and in the background. Silt fence in poorly installed due to debris and stone along shoreline. Train running along track with tanker cars. Panorama of derailment area from drone overflights
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.