MOORE, Okla. — Twenty-two cars of a BNSF Railway train derailed today (Friday, Aug. 18) in suburban Oklahoma City, blocking a grade crossing that could remain closed for several days.
The derailment kept Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer from reaching its Oklahoma City terminus.
The Oklahoman newspaper reports the derailment involving carloads of plastic pellets occurred about 4:45 p.m. in Moore, about 10 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City. No injuries were reported; a BNSF representative told the newspaper the cause is under investigation.
The derailment blocked SW 34th Street just east of Interstate 35, and a section of the street will remain closed for several days until the tracks are cleared, the City of Moore said in a social media post. Moore police asked people to stay away from the derailment site, saying “several people have been trying to gain access on foot for photos. This is an arrestable offense and also a really bad idea.”
The northbound Heartland Flyer was terminated this evening in Ardmore, Okla., 102 miles south of Oklahoma City, according to the Amtrak Alerts social media feed. Passengers taking Saturday morning’s southbound Heartland Flyer should contact Amtrak for information.
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