Freight train collision in Colorado causes bridge damage, fuel spill

Two freight trains collided and derailed late Thursday night in Boulder, a city in the US state of Colorado, resulting in significant bridge damage, a fuel spill, and minor injuries to two conductors, as reported by Associated Press. 

The Boulder Police Department announced on the social media platform X that the collision led to the closure of several area roads for hours while officials carried out an investigation and addressed the fuel spill. The roads were reopened by Friday morning.

"The train is approximately a mile long, so clearing the wreckage and removing the cars will take some time," police stated on X. Footage from the scene revealed extensive damage to the two train locomotives and several cargo cars, which had derailed. Heavy machinery was deployed to manage the cleanup.

Kendall Sloan, a spokesperson for BNSF Railway, the company operating the trains, confirmed in an email on Friday that the collision's cause is still under investigation. The crash occurred around 11:15 pm (local time) on tracks adjacent to Boulder Creek.

The two injured crew members were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and have since been released, according to Sloan.