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Residents of Casselton say life is getting back to normal after an oil train derailment and fire near the southeastern North Dakota community.


Mayor Ed McConnell was back at his trucking business on New Year's Day, catching up on things he says he typically would have done the day before. He says the incident cost the 2,400 residents of the town a day and a half of their normal lives, but he thinks the community will recover quickly.

The BNS train derailed Monday about a mile from the town, prompting the voluntary evacuation of about two-thirds of its residents. The cause of the wreck isn't known. No one was hurt.

Renee Steen lives about half a mile from the crash site. She says she thinks the response was handled well.

The National Transportation Safety Board is planning another briefing on its investigation into the oil train derailment and fire. 

Spokesman Eric Weiss says the briefing is planned for 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Fargo.


The NTSB said earlier that a westbound BNSF train carrying grain derailed first, and a portion of it fell onto an adjacent track carrying the eastbound BNSF oil train. Eighteen cars on the 106-car oil train derailed and burned.

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The Associated Press

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Mayor Ed McConnell was back at his trucking business on New Year's Day, catching up on things he says he typically would have done the day before. He says the incident cost the 2,400 residents of the town a day and a half of their normal lives, but he thinks the community will recover quickly.

Casselton getting back to normal after derailment

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