On Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1:19 a.m., Marion County Fire District #1 (MCFD1) responded to the report of a train derailment in the area of Brooklake Road NE and River Road NE.
MCFD1 initially responded to incident with four engines, two water tenders, one rescue unit, one medic unit, and one battalion chief.
The first arriving unit found a train with nine cars derailed blocking River Road NE just north of Brooklake Road NE. MCFD1 personnel made contact with the conductor and confirmed there were no injuries and that no hazardous materials had spilled or leaked as a result of the accident.
The derailed cars broke a utility pole that carried both local power operated by Portland General Electic (PGE) and regional transmission lines operated by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). There were power outages in the area. A small smoldering fire started in some brush as a result of the downed power lines.
After confirming no injuries and no other significant hazards, MCFD1 left one engine and one battalion chief on scene to extinguish the fire after the power was shut off. The incident was managed under a unified command including the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, MCFD1 and Portland and Western Railroad Management, who operate the involved train and rail line. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.