Authorities: 11 cars of freight train derail in Iowa; 3 cars catch fire, 3 plunge into river

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DUBUQUE, Iowa – Authorities at the scene of a freight train derailment in eastern Iowa say 11 cars have derailed, with three of them catching fire and three plunging into the Mississippi River.

Dubuque Fire Chief Rick Steines tells the Dubuque Telegraph Herald (http://bit.ly/1I2it7t ) 10 derailed cars were carrying ethanol, which is spilling into the river but it’s not clear at what rate.

The cars on the eastbound train derailed around 11:20 a.m. in a rural unpopulated area about 10 miles north of Dubuque. The tracks run along the Mississippi River.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Kevin Baskins says his department has officers at the scene to assess the environmental impact. But he says it’s difficult to get close because there are no roads and authorities are keeping everyone a half-mile away as a precaution.

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