The Nation - News from March 20, 1988

Twenty railroad cars, including nine hauling chemicals, derailed in Annandale, Minn., forcing authorities to evacuate all 1,700 residents for seven hours, officials said. The derailment also led to a fire that destroyed an empty building, police said. No injuries were reported. Some of the cars struck power poles as they derailed, knocking out electricity to the town for two hours, a spokesman for Northern States Power Co. said. Authorities said that a car carrying sulfur dioxide was righted and stabilized and leaks on two methanol alcohol tankers were capped. Tank cars carrying anhydrous ammonia had not leaked. The cause of the derailment was being investigated.