An evacuation order remained in place Monday for part of a northwest Iowa town as firefighters worked to extinguish a burning train after a weekend derailment.

About 47 cars derailed Sunday afternoon near Sibley, including several cars that were carrying hazardous materials. The resulting fire created a thick plume of black smoke but no injuries were reported.

Sibley is a town of about 3,000 people roughly 200 miles (322 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines. The west end of the town was evacuated after the derailment.

Union Pacific spokeswoman Robynn Tysver said the railroad's hazardous materials experts worked with first responders through the night to contain the blaze.

Tysver said several cars involved in the derailment were carrying hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide and asphalt. An empty tank car on the train had been carrying liquid ammonia nitrate.

The railroad said the cause of the derailment remains under investigation, but witnesses reported that a bridge had collapsed underneath the train.

Robin Eggink told the Des Moines Register that she and her husband noticed the train slowing down followed by a big cloud of smoke as they were eating at a Pizza Hut outside of Sibley on Sunday. The family drove near the site of the smoke and saw the train split in two on both sides of a bridge that had collapsed before firefighters ordered them out of the area, Eggink said.

Share:
More In Culture
Emmanuel Acho on How to Live a Life Without Limits in His New Book 'Illogical'
Emmanuel Acho joined Cheddar News to talk about his new book "Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits." The former NFL player, current broadcaster, and host is on a mission to help people see beyond the goals that they have set for themselves. “People say 'what is being illogical?'" he said. "To me, it's believing it is so even when it's not so — so that it can be so."
Green Battery Materials Maker Nouveau Monde Graphite Aims to Power Energy Revolution
Nouveau Monde Graphite says it wants to power the sustainable energy revolution. The Canadian company is developing carbon-neutral battery materials to serve the growing EV and cleantech markets and is doing so via a mining and manufacturing operation in Quebec. Eric Desaulniers, founder, president & CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Is The Housing Boom Slowing Down?
Is the housing boom coming to an end? New home sales in February fell for a second straight month as mortgage rates and house prices rise. This comes as the Fed prepares to hike interest rates more aggressively to fight inflation, potentially kicking off a cooldown in the real estate market. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist of First American, explains why new home sales isn't the full picture.
Inflation Explained...With Candy
With ongoing supply chain issues and war in Ukraine, inflation is likely here to stay. This is the first time many younger people will experience consistent inflation as working adults, so this video breaks it down using candy (for fun!).
Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Alicia Garza on Building Power With Black Futures Lab
Alicia Garza joined Cheddar News to talk about the Black Futures Lab where serves as founder and principal. The non-profit organization seeks to develop grassroots power in the Black community with projects like the Black Census, which takes into account the granular experiences of the demographic. "What we know about Black folks and the reason that we decided to focus on black communities again, it's because we're being left out and left behind their stories being told about us without our input and without our shaping," she said. "If we want a robust democracy in this country, we have to change that equation." Garza also touched on issues around voter suppression and the midterm elections.
Load More