BNSF cargo train derails near Williams; at least 23 cars topple off the tracks

Some neighbors in Williams heard a terrible crashing sound in the late hours as at least 23 rail cars careened off the tracks around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train appeared to be hauling vehicles as its cargo.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the derailment to assist BNSF PD and personnel, making sure that no one was injured. According to CCSO spokesperson Jon Paxton, there was no evidence of hazardous materials being spilled. BNSF has confirmed that no one was injured during the derailment.

On Thursday morning, a BNSF police officer was stationed by the nearest railroad crossing, keeping curious passers-by safely off of the tracks. Unable to comment on the incident himself, the police officer was one of many employees responding to the wreckage. Heavy equipment and cranes were being employed throughout the day Tuesday, working to remove the overturned cars.

The Arizona Daily Sun has reached out to BNSF for an official comment, and will update this story with any response.

In the meantime, a steady stream of side-by-sides and off-road vehicles trickled down Pinetree Drive in Williams, where one home stands just a few feet away from one of the wrecked train cars.

Most of those people are neighbors, people like Jan Larson, who lives close to the tracks but a safe distance away from the derailment.

“I heard a lot of weird noises at night, but I’m a couple miles up the road,” she said, marveling at the wreckage and how close one of her neighbor’s homes came to being crushed by an overturned train car.

Further up Pinetree Drive, a Christian youth camp, the West Branch of the Bill Rice Ranch, is getting ready to receive campers later this year. They opened in 2014 and are used to hearing the train.

This morning, however, none of the staff noticed the derailment until they saw images on the news.

“Almost nobody noticed until we pointed it out,” said West Branch Camp Director Troy Carlson. He said campers often ask jokingly if the train is derailing when it’s particularly loud, but he never imagined he’d see wreckage right behind their property. Over Carlson’s shoulder, a number of overturned cars were in view. Farther up the tracks, a single orange BNSF engine still stood erect ahead of the trail of cars.

Carlson said he was glad there didn’t seem to be anything on fire or spilled. For now, it appears that the derailment didn’t damage any private property.