BREAKING: Montana Bridge Collapses, Train Lands In Popular River

A railway bridge collapsed earlier today near Columbus, Montana after a train derailment which resulted in multiple cars going into the popular Yellowstone River.

For those not familiar with Montana, Columbus is located between Livingston and Billings and has a population of right around 2000 people.  According to CNN, the accident happened around 6 am outside of town.

It has been reported that the crew was safe and there have been no injuries, however, there still could be cause for concern considering that several of the train cars had hazardous materials and petroleum products.

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CNN reported that Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services has said that multiple tanker cars were damaged and are leaking “petroleum products”. It was also reported that Montana Rail Link said that there were several Hazmat cars connected to the train.

So what does that mean for Montanans or the fish and wildlife in the area?

At this point, it's more than likely too early to tell, however, the fact that there is a potential for leakage into the river should be a concern for everyone. Although Yellowstone Country Officials have said that "there is no immediate threat and precautions are being put into place."

So while we wait to see if there is any reason for concern, it's being reported that the Yellowstone Sheriff's Department is letting people know that local fishing access is closed and that water treatment plants, as well as other facilities, are taking the appropriate action.

The Montana governor tweeted earlier today that he was monitoring the situation.  Montana Rail Link had another derailment near Paradise Montana back in April of this year. We've included footage of the collapsed bridge and derailment from our friends at NBC Montana.

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Credit: CNN, NBC Montana