SANDWICH ACADEMY GRANT TOWNSHIP, Maine — A recent train derailment in a rural area of Maine, which resulted in significant fuel spillage and the hospitalization of three workers, has been linked to a beaver dam, according to state authorities.

In April 2023, a freight train derailed in the densely wooded Somerset County, causing not only a fuel leak but also a forest fire. The train, operated by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, included three locomotives and six freight cars loaded with lumber and electrical materials that went off the rails.

During a meeting on Wednesday, a permitting and compliance manager from the Maine Land Use Planning Commission explained that excessive water created by the beaver dam contributed to the derailment. Audie Arbo reported that a failure of the dam allowed a substantial volume of water to rush through culverts that run beneath the railway tracks, ultimately washing out a section of the track.

Three railway workers were promptly treated for their injuries and released following the incident. At the time of the derailment, both locomotives and lumber cars were engulfed in flames, and approximately 500 gallons (1,895 liters) of fuel spilled into the surrounding area.

Cleanup and restoration efforts at the derailment site were finalized by late 2024, as detailed in a correspondence sent by state officials to the Canadian Pacific Kansas City. The recovery operations aimed to address the environmental impact of the fuel leak and to restore the affected area to its original condition.