A BNSF Railway spokeswoman said that the train was comprised of "around 108 cars" was carrying crude oil to the Phillips 66 refinery in Ferndale when seven cars derailed. Two of the cars caught fire and spewed black smoke into the air.
Alberta heavy crude - "tar sand"?
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating the placement of "shunts" on the BNSF tracks since January. US Attorney Brian Moran said, "...since January there have been 41 incidents of shunts placed on the BNSF tracks in Whatcom and Skagit counties—causing crossing guards to malfunction, interfering with automatic braking systems, and, in one case, causing the near-derailment of tanks of hazardous chemicals."Shunts are more likely to cause collisions, not derailments. However -
On Nov. 28, two women from Bellingham, Samantha Frances Brooks, 27, and Ellen Brennan Reiche,
| ... “radical queer” environmental activist who co-founded the Bellingham Lesbian Collective, she currently works as a mentor for Wild Whatcom, engaging children and families in nature programs year round ... |
Unexpectedly -
On a now-deleted LinkedIn page, Reiche was previously employed as a Deputy Field Organizer for Washington State Democrats.
| Related: Heavy.com has more on the ladies and the events around their arrest. |