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Wendover Canyon Derailment

 
Site Contact:
Martin Mccomb
On-Scene Coordinator

(mccomb.martin@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Guernsey, WY 82214
 response.epa.gov/WendoverCanyonDerailment

On February 4, 2019 two BNSF trains transporting coal collided in a remote canyon of the North Platte River near Guernsey, Wyoming in Platte County. Three locomotives and four coal cars derailed and as a result of the accident a mixture of diesel and oil was discharged from the locomotives into the North Platte River. The river is at low flow and currently, the icy conditions have limited impacts to the river to a few hundred yards downstream of the accident.

Water from an upstream reservoir was shut off to reduce flow in the river and boom has been deployed in two locations just downstream of the accident site and a third booming location has been established 2.5 miles downstream. Both the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and USEPA deployed On-Scene Coordinators to the incident to provide oversight and coordinate an environmental assessment and response activities.


View of accident site with derailed locomotives on the river bank and product in the water. View of the river just downstream of the accident site. Crews working at the accident site. Crews working at the accident site. BNSF crews preparing to remove the locomotives from the river bank. Locomotive motor that was retrieved from the river bank, now resting along side the railroads tracks. One of the locomotives removed from the derailment site. Bank of the river after the locomotives were removed. Oil staining on soil at the location of the incident. Oil and diesel coating rocks and soil at the location of the incident. Pooled oil at the location of the incident. Pooled oil in the middle of the river. Ice formed around the pool during the night of 02/05/19. Oil on ice in the river. Downstream edge of product in the river. The product is being contained by the ice. Precautionary collection boom placed 2.5 miles downstream of the accident site. Precautionary collection boom placed 2.5 miles downstream of the accident site. Precautionary collection boom placed 2.5 miles downstream of the accident site. Conditions at the precautionary booming location located 2.5 miles downstream of the accident site. First boom location downstream of the site. Second boom location downstream of the site. Response team initiating an in-situ burn on the river. View of the in-situ burn just after it was started. View of the in-situ burn. View of the in-situ burn. View of the in-situ burn. View of the in-situ burn. Wide view of canyon showing the smoke plume generated by the in-situ burn. BNSF workers on the tracks in the Safe Zone. Wide view of canyon showing the smoke plume generated by the in-situ burn. View of first precautionary boom deployed approximately 900 yards downstream. View of second precautionary boom deployed approximately 900 yards downstream. Collection of product from the surface of the ice using absorbent pads. Collection of product from the surface of the ice using absorbent pads. Response team using chain saws to cut ice slots in the ice at the leading edge of the spill in preparation for the deployment of boom on the ice. Excavation of contaminated soil from the bank of the river. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river looking upstream past the leading edge of the spill. Image provided by BNSF. Collection of product from the surface of the ice using power washers and squeegees. Image provided by BNSF. Boom skirt being set into slots in the ice thus installing boom on the ice surface to control the flow of product and runoff. Image provided by BNSF. Excavation of contaminated soil from the bank of the river. Image provided by BNSF. Washing product from the river bank and towards boom established to collect product. Image provided by BNSF. Section of the river after product has been removed. Image provided by BNSF. Boom being installed in the ice at the leading edge of the spill. Image provided by BNSF. Boom atop the ice with skirt sunk into surface at the leading edge of the spill to control surface flow. Image provided by BNSF. Crews flushing product from beneath the ice into established collection points. Image provided by BNSF. Crews working along the shoreline. Image provided by BNSF. Section of the river after product has been removed. Image provided by BNSF. Installation of the weir across the river to raise the water level and control the flow of product towards established collection points. Image provided by BNSF. Ice being excavated from the river to aid recovery efforts. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after product has been recovered. Image provided by BNSF. Flushing product from the ice to aid recovery efforts. Image provided by BNSF. Ice being collected during removal of product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. Crews working to remove product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. Boom placed in the ice to help remove product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. Temporary path created along the shoreline to assist the response team. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after the removal of product. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after the removal of product. Image provided by BNSF. Boom along the shoreline to aid in recovery efforts. Image provided by BNSF. Using an excavator to remove ice from the river during the response effort. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after the removal of product. Image provided by BNSF. Response team removing product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. Response team removing product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after the removal of product. Image provided by BNSF. View of the river after product has been removed. Image provided by BNSF. Response team removing product from the river. Image provided by BNSF. Response team removing product from the river. Image provided by BNSF.
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