Colorado Politics

Caraveo seeks answers on Commerce City train derailment

U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo wants answers from BNSF about why a freight train derailed near the active SunCor Refinery in June.

The incident happened more than two weeks ago and there’s still little information as to what happened, according to the Thornton Democrat. 

Caraveo wrote a letter to BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer noting that while no hazardous materials were spilled, accidents like the one in East Palestine, Ohio could happen anywhere.

“I was alarmed to learn about the derailment in Commerce City, a tight-knit community with a large Latino population,” Caraveo said, who noted that the derailment could have been much worse.

The fiery East Palestine derailment which released toxic chemicals into the air led to a national debate over rail safety. 

Photos from Commerce City’s June 16 derailment showed several rail cars tipped over next to the refinery. Eight box cars left the rails. Union Pacific said two of the eight box cars which left the rails were empty and three were hauling lumber, which spilled out over the road.

No one was injured in the incident that happened near 96th Avenue and Interstate 76. 96th was closed from Havana to I-76 in both directions, according to CDOT. There’s no word as to what caused the derailment.

“I am urging you to provide information regarding what led to the derailment, what may have been in the cars that derailed, and what steps BNSF is taking to ensure something like this does not happen again,” Caraveo wrote.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there were at least 1,164 train derailments last year, which averages to about 3 derailments per day.

U.S. Rep.-elect Yadira Caraveo, a Thornton Democrat, left, smiles as she arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 14, 2022. 
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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