Calgary train derailment evacuees allowed to return home

Calgaryresidents forced to leave their homes as a precautionWednesdayafter a train carryingflammable liquidsderailed in the city's southeastcan now return home.

Many of the roads near the site have since reopened, butparts of Blackfoot Trail will remain closed overnight.

• NEWEST INFO: Calgary roads reopen after train derailment

"Ninth Avenue reopened, evacuees returning," tweeted Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi."Blackfoot will remain closed overnight, working hard to open for a.m. commute."

People living south of Ninth Avenue between 13th and 15th streetshad beentold to leave the area after severaltanker cars containing flammable liquids came off the tracks asa slow-moving northbound train was leaving the Alyth Rail Yard near19th Avenue and 15th Street around 5 p.m. MT.

Roughly 142 homes were affected by the evacuation order.

A Canadian Pacific Railwayspokespersonsays there were no leaks or injuriesin the incident that led to major traffic delays in the area.

CP says thecars contained diluent, which is used to thin petroleum productsincluding bitumen from the oilsandsto help transport them through pipelines.

Tankers carrying hydrocarbon, says fire official

But acting deputy chief Brian McAsey of the Calgary Fire Department said the substance was a hydrocarbon much like gasoline.

He said crews are emptying the cars of their product so they can be uprighted.

"There's been no injuries, and so everyone is alright," said McAsey.

"It's completelysafe right now. We have been having to close down theroadways mainlyaround herefor public safety and make sure wekeep people away. Our first responders are fine and we're just going about this methodically. Unfortunatelyit will take a number of hours and I hope the imposition on Calgarians will soon be over."

Some Calgary Transit routesnear the scene also had to bedetoured earlier in the day.

"CP response crews worked with Calgary first responders in ensuring the site remained safe and secure," saidCP spokesman Ed Greenburg.

He said an investigation has been launched to determine cause. The TransportationSafetyBoardof Canada has also sent an investigator to look into the incident.