OIL TRAINS

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Oil train derails under Seattle's Magnolia Bridge
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SEATTLE - Three tanker cars in an oil train from North Dakota derailed at a rail yard in Seattle early Thursday, but Burlington Northern Santa Fe says none of the oil spilled.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas says a locomotive and buffer car loaded with sand also left the rails about 2 a.m. at the Interbay yard as the train with 102 cars of Bakken oil was pulling out, headed for a refinery at Anacortes.

He says the train was traveling beneath the Magnolia Bridge at about 5 mph at the time. Two of the tankers are leaning. The other derailed cars remained upright. No one was injured.

"We looked over the tank cars (and) we haven't seen any release of product," said BNSF spokeswoman Courtney Wallace. "We've had our hazmat teams on the scene as well."

She said there is no danger to the public. The cause of the derailment is unknown.

The derailment comes as more oil trains move through the region and state agencies study the increased safety and environmental risks that may result.

Gov. Jay Inslee last month directed state agencies to evaluate the safety of oil transport in the state, effectively speeding up the timeline for a study already being conducted by the Department of Ecology and other agencies.