Montana Train Derailment Sparks Conspiracy Theories

A train derailment in Paradise, Montana, has sparked conspiracy theories on social media surrounding the details of the incident.

The train derailment occurred on Sunday morning and no injuries or deaths were reported, according to an AP report. Train derailments have gained national attention recently after a Norfolk Southern Railway train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing toxic chemicals into the town and prompting mass evacuations.

Following the incident, videos showing the 25 cars that were derailed have begun to circulate on social media.

Twitter page RAWSALERTS shared a video that has been viewed more than 1 million times following the derailment. The short clip showed the multiple train cars crumpled together alongside the track.

The page captioned the clip: “A freight train has derailed in northwest Montana.

“A freight train has derailed in Paradise Montana with officials are reporting that at least 25 cars have derailed spilling unconfirmed contents no one was injured.”

What Spilled: Paradise, Montana, Train Derailment

In a Facebook post, the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District said: “There is no current threat to public safety and no hazardous materials being released.”

The post added: “The coordinated effort with our resources and Montana Rail Link, we were able to identify the products involved and that there was no hazardous materials posing an imminent threat to public safety. Guests at the water front cabins were evacuated as a precaution.

“The local MRL folks were on scene and on the tracks quickly assessing damage to the cars involved and any potential environmental concerns. The railcars that reached the river were empty or carrying Coors Light and Blue Moon. (This is not floating down the river and is secured in the derailment area).”

“After the initial assessment by MRL, our rescue boat was utilized to transport Chief Russell and MRL across the river for a thorough assessment and air monitoring. The single railcar of concern was carrying butane. It was partially off the tracks but not leaking. Visual inspection and utilizing a gas meter did not detect any leaks.”

Conspiracy Theories Emerge

Despite authorities confirming that there was no threat to public safety and explaining the contents of the train’s shipping containers, some social media users were quick with their own theories.

Social media user GrandSolar Mini commented on the video: “They are contaminating our Water and our Land with these TOXIC chemicals that they derail. Almost always near WATER. And if not, they burn them up and the Chemicals go into our AIR only to come back down when it RAINS contaminating our LAND.”

Other social media user, Jarret Bergot said: “There is nothing to see here, just another weekly train derailment most likely done on purpose.”

Twitter user YamiletPena5 also suggested the derailments were happening too frequently.

“What is [with the] train derailments? I think this is on purpose. All the trains that have derailed have some type of hazardous material.”

Another Twitter page, UncleNestor22, shared the same RAWSALERTS video and agreed it was intentional.

They captioned the clip: “Part of the plan may be for some lands to be temporarily poisoned, and then, seized by the govt under ecological pretenses.”

The Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District has confirmed that they will continue to monitor the area and, over the weeks to come, clear the area.

Their latest update on the incident read: “Over the following days and weeks we will be working with MRL while they clean up and rebuild the track. If there is ever a new threat to public safety we will be on scene and coordinating directly with the incident staff and Quinn’s Hot Springs.

“We would like to thank Plains Community Ambulance, St Regis Fire, Montana Highway Patrol, USFS Law Enforcement, Sanders County Dispatch and Office of Emergency Management, The Staff at Quinn’s Hot Springs, and Montana Rail Link. The community worked together today.”

Newsweek has contacted the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District via email for comment.