Explosion in Union Pacific’s massive railyard in Nebraska appears accidental, investigators say

By JOSH FUNK
Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investigators say a blast that prompted evacuations near Union Pacific’s massive railyard in western Nebraska last week appears to be accidental. But it’s not yet clear what caused it. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office is working with the railroad and experts from the Federal Railroad Administration to determine what caused a stationary shipping container carrying perchloric acid to explode last Thursday in North Platte. The chief investigator for the fire marshal’s office, Adam Matzner, said there’s no sign of a criminal act connected with the explosion, so it appears accidental. The railroad is conducting its own internal review. Railroad safety has been a key concern nationwide ever since a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire in Ohio in February.