22 train cars plunge into river after derailment in California

A freight train has derailed in the US state of California, sending 22 train cars into a swollen river. No one was injured in the accident.

The Union Pacific Railroad spokesman Justin Jacobs was quoted by the local KCRA TV as saying that three people were onboard the train when it derailed at about 12:45 p.m. (Local Time) Friday near the city of Elk Grove.

Twenty-two cars of the 33-car train derailed from its tracks and most of them landed in a flooded area adjacent to the Cosumnes River, Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

The company "absolutely apologised for the disruption, but thankfully there were no injuries, no hazardous material involved," he said.

The northbound train carrying food products was headed from Tracy, a city belonging to the greater San Francisco Bay Area, to Roseville, which was located in the Sacramento metropolitan area.

KCRA's picture showed near the train derailment was a levee break, but it was unclear if that caused the derailment.

The cause of the derailment was under investigation.

--IANS

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