Maine derailment marks third train crash in a week, residents urged to stay clear

A Canadian Pacific freight train caught fire on Saturday after derailing in Maine, causing minor injuries to three railway workers. 

The Maine Forest Department reported that three locomotive engines and six rail cars carrying lumber and electrical wiring derailed and caught fire in a nearby wooded area, which resulted in a small forest fire. 

However, hazardous materials transported in additional rail cars were not affected, and the risk of leakage and fire was minimal. According to Canadian Pacific, the derailment occurred due to a "track washout" that may have been caused by melting ice and debris. 

Earlier that day, Rockwood Fire and Rescue posted a photo of the incident on Facebook, urging people to avoid the area. This derailment was the third such incident this week, following similar accidents in Pittsburgh and Alabama.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City's Director of Communications, C. Doniele Carlson, confirmed the derailment that occurred around 15 miles east of Jackman and stated that the hazardous cargo was not involved in the fire. 

In a statement, Carlson informed that emergency response teams and hazardous materials experts are currently conducting a full assessment of the situation, adding that there is no threat to public safety, and no evacuations are necessary. 

The Rockwood Fire and Rescue Department posted a photo of the derailment on its Facebook page, advising residents to avoid the area. The image displayed multiple derailed cars and a small fire with black smoke spreading over snowy forestland. 

Meanwhile, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern announced a merger on Friday, touting their rail line as the first and only single-line railway that connects Canada, the US, and Mexico.

The rail industry has recently been experiencing multiple derailments, and federal regulators, as well as members of Congress, are urging railroads to take further measures to prevent them. 

This follows a string of fiery accidents involving hazardous chemicals in Ohio and Minnesota that necessitated evacuations. Rockwood, a small village located on the western side of Moosehead Lake, which is a famous destination for salmon and trout fishing, is about 90 miles northwest of Bangor and has around 300 residents. 

Meanwhile, earlier this week in Jasper, Alabama, 11 cars on a North Atlantic Southern train derailed, causing two crew members to be hospitalised, but they have since been released.

"According to Norfolk Southern, the train crew was briefly trapped in the engine room because the engine tilted over. There were no major injuries, but RPS was called to the scene to evaluate the crew and transported two crew members as a precaution," Jasper Police wrote in a statement, The Mail reported.