A freight train believed to be carrying hazardous materials has derailed in Arizona’s Mohave County, authorities said late Wednesday.
The wreck occurred near the town of Topock, near the Arizona-California border, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said.
Mortensen said the train was reported to have hazardous materials on board, but said there were no reports of spills. It was not immediately clear which company the freight train belonged to.
No injuries were reported and the wreck did not block any travel in the area, Mortensen said.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear.
A tornado warning had been issued for Topock until early Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. It was not clear if severe weather played a role in the derailment.
Wednesday’s incident is the latest in a series of recent train derailments that have deepened concerns about rail safety in the United States.
Mortensen said officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and BNSF Railway were on their way to the scene of the derailment to investigate. The NTSB and BNSF Railway did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News.
including the derailment of a Norfolk Southern Railway train carrying toxic chemicals in Ohio last month that started a fire and prompted officials to release chemicals into the local area to prevent a potential explosion.
The release of chemicals has sparked widespread backlash within the East Palestinian community, including a series of lawsuits alleging that the controlled release endangered the health of residents, with some reporting symptoms including persistent cough and sore throat. the chest.
Ohio also filed a complaint against Norfolk Southern Railway in federal court Tuesday, alleging the company violated water quality and hazardous waste laws and was negligent in causing the derailment and subsequent releases of toxic chemicals last month.
In the days since the high-profile incident on February 3, at least two other Norfolk Southern trains have suffered derailments, including an incident in Springfield, Ohio, earlier this month. However, there were no hazardous materials involved in the March 4 incident.
Days later, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Calhoun County, Alabama, just hours before company CEO Alan Shaw was due to face lawmakers to answer questions about the February derailment.
joseph cradduck contributed.