A train carrying fuel derailed Friday, resulting in a fire that closed down roads near the border between Arizona and New Mexico through Saturday.
The BNSF freight train was traveling near Lupton, Arizona, when it derailed and burst into flames with the gasoline and odorless propane it was carrying fueling the fire. No one was injured. Interstate 40 was initially shut down in both directions but has since opened up its westbound lane on Saturday. The eastbound lane from Lupton to Gallup, New Mexico, remains closed.
National Transportation Safety Board staff members are arriving at the scene to investigate the incident alongside the Federal Railroad Administration. Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) assured her followers on X that U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was also aware of the situation.
“I am deeply concerned about the train derailment along the Arizona-New Mexico border and am monitoring the situation closely,” Hobbs wrote. “My administration is in contact with Secretary Buttigieg and the New Mexican government. As we learn more about the situation on the ground, the State of Arizona stands ready to deploy the resources necessary to keep our communities safe.”
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This comes after 368 derailment incidents among BNSF trains since 2023, which, in total, injured nine people and cost over $90 million.
Meanwhile, the Senate has yet to vote on the Railroad Safety Act, which would provide new regulations in an attempt to prevent future train accidents.
