Railroad Tanker Leaks Animal Fat, Leaves 200-Mile Trail
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a leaking railroad tank car has left a 25,000-gallon trail of animal fat along tracks crossing Iowa.
The Iowa Natural Resources Department says in a news release Tuesday the leak ran about 200 miles, from Missouri Valley in western Iowa's Harrison County to Fairfax in Linn County. The leak was discovered Monday in Cedar Rapids.
The department says the fat leaked out apparently because a cap came off the bottom valve of the tanker.
The biggest spill was found in Boone, where an estimated 1,500 gallons leaked where the train stopped for 15 minutes.
The department is investigating the incident and monitoring the cleanup. It says none of the fat was found to have reached any surface water, where it could pose a threat to aquatic life.
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