20-Car Derailment In Albany County Starts Fire, Leaves Packages All Over Tracks

A significant train derailment near Bosler in Albany County on Wednesday sparked a fire and left packages littered all over the tracks.

About 20 railcars were off the tracks along Wyoming Highway 30, starting a small fire on some of the damaged railroad ties that was quickly extinguished, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office reports.

“Around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, approximately 20 railcars carrying intermodal containers on the Union Pacific train derailed near Bosler, Wyoming,” Union Pacific spokesperson Mike Jaixen told Cowboy State Daily. “There were no injuries.”

The Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Laramie Fire Department/EMS, and Albany County Central Fire responded, and the fire was quickly contained and extinguished.

Jaixen said crews with the Union Pacific are investigating the incident, but the cause has yet to be identified.

On And Off The Rails

Derailments are serious business, and Albany County Sheriff Aaron Appelhans said his agency had someone on the scene immediately.

“We had a deputy extremely close to the area,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “Laramie EMS was also close to the area on another call at the same time.”

Appelhans said the train’s brakeman played a critical role in the derailment not being worse. After noticing the back of the train had left the tracks, he stopped the train immediately.

“That prevented the situation from becoming a lot worse,” he said.

The derailment left a lot of debris alongside Highway 30. Cleanup efforts started soon after the incident and was expected to continue through Thursday, the sheriff’s office reports.

Appelhans commended the quick and professional response of his deputies and the other responding agencies.

“Incidents like this are a reminder of how teamwork keeps our community safe when things go off the rails,” he said.

Dealing With Derailments

Rapid responses are critical when it comes to derailments, and responders in counties with significant railroad infrastructure are experienced and know what they need to do when they get those calls.

On June 9, at least 15 Union Pacific railcars derailed near Walcott Junction in central Carbon County. At least three of the derailed cars were tankers, and at least one of those tankers was leaking propane.

Personnel from the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Union Pacific, Hanna town marshal, Carbon County Emergency Medical Services, and Carbon County Fire District responded to the derailment. 

Carbon County Fire Chief John Rutherford told Cowboy State Daily that the derailment stemmed from the "catastrophic failure" of a wheel bearing on one of the tanker cars.

The propane leak made the response more complicated and dangerous, but the responding agencies coordinated effectively to ensure everyone’s safety.

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.