Shelter-in-place order briefly issued at North Dakota derailment site, officials say

Officials at the remote location of a derailed train who were transporting hazardous materials and caused a fire in North Dakota briefly issued a stay-at-home warning on Sunday during the cleanup.

The warning was issued as a precaution Sunday morning after air monitors detected low levels of anhydrous ammonia after a rail car began venting during removal from the site, said Andrew Kirking, emergency management coordinator for Stutsman and Foster counties in eastern North Dakota.

No injuries were reported from the leak and the warning was lifted later Sunday when air readings returned to zero, Kirking said.

No one was injured in the Friday morning derailment, which blew over 29 cars of a train. CPKC train Officials said the vehicle was off the railroad tracks in a swampy area surrounded by farmland about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northwest of Fargo.

Exposure to high levels of ammonia in the air can cause burns to the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract, and can lead to blindness, lung damage or death, health officials say. Exposure to lower levels can cause coughing and irritation of the nose and throat.

The derailment caused a fire that was largely extinguished by Sunday, Kirking said. The fire was particularly concerning because the train was carrying anhydrous ammonia, methanol and plastic pellets. Work continued Sunday to remove those hazardous materials, as well as the derailed cars.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration have been on the scene since Saturday investigating the cause of the derailment, Kirking said.