CN Rail is sending environmental experts to a rural community near Prince George after one of its trains derailed this week near an elementary school.
After 27 cars went off the tracks near Giscome Elementary School, located about 40 km east of the northern capital, a small spill of petroleum coke went into an adjacent creek.
However, CN explains this is a non-hazardous by-product of refining processes.
“CN environmental experts, as well as regulatory authorities, have been deployed to oversee the physical removal of the product from the creek,” the national service said in a statement.
“CN thanks first responders for their assistance and apologizes for the inconvenience caused by this incident.”
The cause of the derailment is still ongoing and Upper Fraser Road, the railway-intersection where the train fell off happened, remains closed.
There were various other commodities in the rail cars, CN adds, but there’s no danger to public safety as well as no reported injuries or fires as a result of the incident.
Students and staff are at Blackburn Elementary today (March 6) to close out the learning week.
However, kids living beyond the road closure, including those that attend Prince George Secondary, are staying home.
