Train derailment affects Thursday morning commute after ‘food grade product’ spills in Kingston

Kingston police are urging motorists to leave extra time for their Thursday morning commute as crews work to clean up a train derailment on Bath Road for a second day.

Early Thursday morning, officials with CN Rail alerted Kingston police that a portion of Bath Road had been damaged due to the toppled trains. The asphalt will need to be repaired.

The stretch between Armstrong and Queen Mary roads is expected to reopen Thursday afternoon.

CN officials, the Ministry of Environment, Kingston Fire and Rescue and Frontenac paramedics were called to the city’s west end after a train derailed Wednesday morning.

CN says eight cars ran off the tracks.

Police evacuated certain buildings nearby, as one of the cars on the train spilled during the derailment. Officers advised motorists to stay away from the level rail crossing at Bath Road between Armstrong and Queen Mary roads and asked those nearby to stay inside their homes, but the City of Kingston tweeted an update later in the afternoon saying there was “no immediate danger to the public.”

“Officials say risk to the public is low after a food grade product spilled onto the tracks,” the city’s tweet read.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

An update from CN says the product was adipic acid, “a solid industrial product commonly used in food and to make everyday household items such as nylon.” Only a minimal amount of the substance spilled, according to CN. It was contained in a small area on CN property and did not contaminate any water supply, the update said.

The city says Bath Road is expected to remain closed into Thursday for the cleanup.

Queen Mary Road was also closed as a result of the derailment but has since reopened.

The freight train went off the tracks some time before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Several cars appear to be turned over on their side.

This particular train travels on an industrial spur line to deliver material to the Invista plant, which manufactures nylon products in Kingston. In 2004, several cars from a train derailed at this same crossing.

Kingston Fire and Rescue was called to the scene, but no fires were reported.

View image in full screen

Kingston paramedics say they also attended the rail crossing but did not treat any patients.

The Ministry of Environment arrived on scene to investigate before 1 p.m. Wednesday.

It’s currently unclear what caused the train to derail.

More to come.