Investigators said Monday that a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and burst into flames over the weekend because vandals had removed sections of railroad track.
A large-scale cleanup operation is currently under way in the Krasnodar region's Temryuksky district after 17 wagons containing crude oil came off the rails close to the Vyshestebliyevskaya railroad station on Saturday morning, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on its website.
Four of the upturned wagons caught fire as the 69-wagon train derailed, spilling oil alongside the tracks, Interfax reported Monday.
The flames spread across 120 square meters and were started by a stray spark, regional investigators told the news agency.
Investigators told Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov, who visited the Krasnodar region on an official visit Saturday, that vandals had likely caused the train to derail by removing the "metal pads that connect the rails," Interfax reported.
Emergency workers have pumped 660 tons of crude oil from the damaged wagons and have begun to remove contaminated soil from the affected area, according to a statement on their official website.
On Saturday, the emergencies ministry said the oil spill had not contaminated waterways and did not present any threat to the local population.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
