Sheriff: Illegally Dumped Brush May Have Caused Train Derailment

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities believe they know what caused a train to derail in eastern Minnesota last week.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is looking for the party responsible for dumping brush and logs near the railroad tracks at Quant and St. Croix Trail in West Lakeland Township.

The Union Pacific Railroad believes the dumping of those items may have cause the train derailment on Nov. 8.

Around 2 a.m. that day, seven empty cars derailed near Bayport. There were no injuries and no hazardous materials were involved.

The train was headed from Altoona, Wisconsin, to St. Paul carrying mixed freight.