Early Saturday morning, a train derailment near Columbus, Montana, sent several rail cars plunging into the Yellowstone River. The incident occurred around 6 a.m. when a bridge gave way, causing three cars carrying hot asphalt and four containing molten sulfur to fall into the rapidly flowing water.

Images from the scene show a yellowish substance leaking from some of the submerged tank cars. Both asphalt and sulfur solidify quickly upon contact with cooler temperatures, according to a statement from Montana Rail Link. While the spill poses a potential environmental hazard, Stillwater County's chief of emergency services, David Stamey, indicated there was no immediate threat to the crews at the site, citing the river's diluting effect.

As a precautionary measure, authorities shut down downstream drinking water intakes and halted the flow of river water into a nearby irrigation ditch to protect surrounding farmland. Two additional cars carrying sodium hydrogen sulfate remained on the bridge and initial air quality assessments confirmed no release of their contents. The Federal Railroad Administration is collaborating with local authorities to investigate the bridge collapse. The incident's location is a sparsely populated area of the Yellowstone River Valley, primarily composed of ranch and farmland, and the river flows away from Yellowstone National Park.

The investigation will focus on the bridge's structural integrity, maintenance history, repairs, and past inspections. Authorities are also evaluating the environmental impact and formulating cleanup, removal, and restoration plans. Sulfur, one of the spilled substances, has various applications, including its use as a fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.