The evacuation order affecting five properties in a rural region of East Kootenay, British Columbia, has been rescinded following a train derailment near Cranbrook. The Regional District of East Kootenay confirmed on Saturday evening that residents were permitted to return home after a reassessment determined that there was no longer a public safety risk.
The evacuation directive had been enforced since approximately 12:30 p.m. in an area northwest of Bull River along the Kootenay River and Fenwick Road. Additionally, the district had declared a state of local emergency, which has now been lifted, citing that the derailment had posed a potential threat to people and properties within Electoral Area C.
The train derailment took place around 7 a.m. in a remote location about 16 kilometers east of Cranbrook, as reported by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). Although no injuries were reported, around 12 train cars, including some transporting wood products and propane tankers, were involved in the incident.
CPKC stated that response teams and equipment have been dispatched to the scene to assess the situation and initiate cleanup efforts. The district’s emergency operations center director, Christina Carbrey, mentioned that the evacuation order was a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of residents in the vicinity, pending further details about the incident.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed two investigators to inspect the site, while the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) indicated they were informed of the incident at 9:30 a.m. and redirected inquiries to the railway company and the Transportation Safety Board as the primary investigative bodies.