Burning train cars force evacuations in Custer

Both lanes of traffic on Interstate 5 are open in Custer after a train carrying crude oil derailed from the tracks between Grandview and Birch Bay-Lynden roads.

The train derailed in the 7500 block of Portal Way shortly after 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, December 22, said Deb Slater, a spokesperson for the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO). Six tank cars derailed and two caught on fire, she said.

The Washington State Department of Transportation, the WSCO Division of Emergency Management, firefighters and Washington State Patrol were on the scene, Slater said. 

Around noon the sheriff’s office began evacuating a half-mile radius of the derailment, Slater said. The evacuation, which will continue until further notice, expanded another quarter-mile between Main Street and Portal Way.

“Stay away from the area,” Slater said at 3 p.m. “The fire is under control but we really need to keep people out of the area.”

The investigation will be continued by the FBI, Slater said.

“BNSF is working with local authorities to assess and mitigate the situation,” BNSF Railway said in a tweet at 12:55 p.m. on December 22. “The cause of the incident is under investigation. Our first priority is dealing with any safety issues. We will provide additional details as they become available.”