Oil spill tally still unclear in Iowa train derailment

DOON, Iowa — Crews were scrambling Saturday to clean up a BNSF oil train derailment in northwest Iowa that dumped crude into floodwaters, while officials seek to get a handle on the extent of the spill and its cause.

Thirty-three oil tanker cars derailed Friday just south of Doon in Lyon County, leaking oil into surrounding floodwaters from the swollen Little Rock River. BNSF spokesman Andy Williams said Saturday the cause of the derailment hadn’t yet been determined, but a disaster proclamation issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds placed the blame on rainfuelled flooding.

Some officials have speculated that floodwaters eroded soil beneath the train track. The nearby Little Rock River rose rapidly after heavy rain Wednesday and Thursday.

The amount of oil spilled also wasn’t known by Saturday afternoon, Williams said, but he added officials hoped to have a better idea once they’re able to reach the derailed oil tankers. “We are working as quickly as we can to get this cleaned up,” Williams said Saturday. “We’ve had skimmers working since yesterday on the flood water south of the site.”

The train was carrying oil from Alberta to Stroud, Oklahoma, for ConocoPhillips. ConocoPhillips spokesman Daren Beaudo said each tanker can hold more than 25,000 gallons (20,817 imperial gallons) of oil. He did not know how much had spilled.