Railroad unloading oil from cars after Iowa derailment

Iowa oil spill
In this aerial image taken from video, tanker cars carrying crude oil are shown derailed about a mile south of Doon, Iowa, on Friday, June 22, 2018.
Sioux County (Iowa) Sheriff's Office via AP

Crews are working to contain and clean up crude that spilled when an oil train derailed in northwestern Iowa.

BNSF railroad spokesman Andy Williams said workers have unloaded oil from 10 of the oil tank cars that didn't leak after Friday's derailment about 15 miles south of the Minnesota border. Officials have said 14 of the 32 cars that derailed in Lyon County leaked oil.

Officials say 230,000 gallons spilled after the derailment, with some of it being carried down the Little Rock and Rock rivers. About 100,000 gallons has been contained with booms in a low-lying area filled with floodwaters near the derailment.

Iowa oil spill
Rail cars carrying crude oil are shown derailed about a mile south of Doon, Iowa, on Friday, June 22, 2018. More than 30 cars derailed after the tracks reportedly collapsed due to saturation from flood waters from the adjacent Little Rock River.
Tim Hynds | Sioux City Journal via AP

Cities downstream from the spill are monitoring their water systems.

Workers will continue unloading oil from the rest of the cars and removing them from the area over the next several days. It wasn't immediately clear Sunday how long the effort will take.

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