A firefighter sprays foam on a burning, derailed train car Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in Custer, Wash. Officials say seven train cars carrying crude oil derailed and five caught fire north of Seattle and close to the Canadian border.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Seven train cars carrying crude oil derailed Tuesday and five caught fire, sending a large black plume of smoke into the sky north of Seattle close to the Canadian border, authorities said.
The seven cars derailed at about 11:46 a.m. Tuesday, BNSF Railway spokesperson Courtney Wallace said at the news conference.
Krogh said crude oil is volatile and there are often track maintenance concerns.
"Clearly there may be more work to do.”Custer, a small town of several hundred people, is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Seattle.