Emergency situation at CP rail yard in Moose Jaw contained

It was a startling start to the day for some residents in Moose Jaw on Wednesday, as a collision and derailment at the CP Rail Yard led to a number of houses being evacuated.

Some areas in the southwest part of the city were evacuated shortly after 6 a.m., but, the Moose Jaw Police Service said just after 7 a.m., that the train cars in question had been cleared. Residents were allowed to return home as there wasn’t any threat to public safety.

“There was a loud crash and the house shook around 5:30 a.m.,” one resident of the area said. “(We were) unsure if it was the collision of the trains and an explosion simultaneously or just the crash.

“We hear trains banging all the time, but this was different, the whole house shook. My husband was getting ready for work when he heard the crash and saw a flash and smoke out the window. He walked across the street and saw the flames.”

Moose Jaw Fire Chief Rod Montgomery explained what happened.

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“One of the remote engines crashed into a switch and hit another train,” he said. “The train itself derailed and the locomotive was on fire, but there were flames next to one of the hazardous material tanker cars.

“That was our big concern, so we did have to start initiating an evacuation of South Hill.

“We had to start looking at the worst-case scenario, but luckily the crew on site was able to get the fire under control quickly. It’s totally extinguished now. We will keep one crew there just as they empty the diesel out of the one locomotive, and then they will start repairing the damage that was done.”

The Moose Jaw Police Service was expected to release more information later Wednesday.

By Blaise Wozniak, Discover Moose Jaw