No hazardous materials in crushed rail cars, MPCA says

State pollution control officials said that three railroad cars crushed by the Interstate 35W bridge did not contain hazardous materials and are no threat to the environment.

By Tom Meersman, Star Tribune

Last update: August 2, 2007 - 12:50 PM

State pollution control officials said that three railroad cars crushed by the Interstate 35W bridge did not contain hazardous materials and are no threat to the environment.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency spokesman Sam Brungardt said that two hopper cars were beneath the bridge when it fell, and that one contained plastic pellets and the other held plastic powder.

A tanker car was also smashed, but it was empty, he said.

"At this point we don't think these pose any environmental hazard," Brungardt said that the agency has searched along the river in a boat, but has not traveled close to the scene of the accident.

"Above the Franklin Avenue bridge we have not put a boat in because we did not want to hamper rescue efforts," Brungardt said. "We are not seeing any sheens on the river from petroleum products escaping from vehicles."