5 freight cars derail near Essex

Several cars on an eastbound freight train carrying consumer products from Seattle to Chicago derailed at Essex Thursday morning.

BNSF Railway spokesman Matt Jones said five cars derailed at 7:15 a.m. and blocked both main-line tracks. Three of the cars contain hazardous materials, but Jones said there were no leaks or loss of any kind in the incident, in which no one was injured.

“We’ve been able to get some traffic routed through the yard at Essex to keep it moving, and the plan is, if necessary, to move Amtrak through the yard,” Jones said.

As of Thursday afternoon, BNSF was working to rerail the cars and repair the tracks in the hopes of reopening the lines within a matter of hours.

The derailment’s cause is under investigation.