Train derailment in Penobscot County spills about 1,200 gallons of diesel

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 5, 2024

Officials are cleaning up about 1,200 gallons diesel fuel that spilled onto the ground in Penobscot County this week after a train engine hit parked rail cars and ruptured its fuel tank. The collision happened Tuesday near the Mattawamkeag-Winn town line, the Lincoln Fire Department said. The crash caused one car to overturn and a second car to derail, puncturing the engine’s fuel tank and releasing 1,200 gallons of fuel onto the ground. A newspaper investigation published last year revealed widespread issues with freight rail operations in Maine, including poorly maintained lines, unreported accidents, and secrecy around the hazardous materials transported through the state.