On June 24, a train derailment in Montana caused a bridge to collapse, sending hot asphalt and molten sulfur spewing into the Yellowstone River. The derailment came nearly five months after the disastrous derailment near East Palestine, Ohio that raised awareness of rail transportation’s risks and prompted renewed efforts to increase rail safety measures. Here in Canada, we have seen comparable derailments in Ontario, Saskatoon — and the deadly Lac-Mégantic rail disaster in Québec in 2013.
Still, rail companies continue to ignore safety warnings, cut corners on safety measures, and make job cuts.
Notably, most discussions surrounding derailments focus on the impacts to people, minimizing the importance and interconnections of harms to non-human species. However, paying close attention to the harms caused to animals and the environment can create a more accurate picture of damage in a disaster context.
