AMES, Iowa — A Union Pacific Railroad spokesperson has revised to about 25 the number of train cars involved in a derailment just east of downtown Ames Thursday afternoon, as first reported by ThePerryNews.com.
Robynn Tysver, media relations manager with Union Pacific Railroad, said in a 3:30 p.m. message that eight cars were derailed between Dayton and Duff avenues and near the intersection of Edison Street and Carnegie Avenue in east Ames.
At 6 p.m. Tysver revised the number upward to the originally reported 25.
“Approximately 25 cars derailed today at about 1:45 p.m.,” she said in a second email message to ThePerryNews.com. “Emergency response personnel are on site. No one was injured, and the cause of the derailment is under investigation.”
Liquid petroleum gas was leaking from one of the overturned cars, according to a spokesperson from the Ames Fire Department, which staged near the wreckage at the intersection of Edison Street and Carnegie Avenue.
A statement issued Thursday evening by the city of Ames said the accident poses no risk to public safety, and the four railroad crossings closed during the emergency response have reopened.
The statement said the Ames Fire Department will continue to monitor the scene and assist the railroad company.
Also responding to the mishap were the Story County Sheriff’s office, Story County Emergency Management Agency, Des Moines Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Union Pacific Railroad hazardous Materials Team.
