Federal transportation investigators have begun interviewing the engineer and conductor of the train that was carrying the seven ethanol tanker cars that derailed in South Dakota over the weekend.

A 98-car train partially derailed early Saturday, leaving a bridge toppled and tanker cars scattered across a rural pasture.

Williams said BNSF train derailments are very uncommon and more than 99 percent of their ethanol is delivered without any issues. He said no cause for the derailment had been determined. There were no injuries and no nearby structures were threatened by the fire, he said.

Williams said the investigation at the scene would take three to five days. He says firefighters did not attempt to put the fire out, but stood by to make sure there was no damage to adjacent areas.

Rettig said one rural road was shut down as firefighters who responded from Scotland, Lesterville, Menno, Tyndall and Tabor worked to extinguish the blaze.

BNSF Spokesman Andy Williams was on scene Saturday… “The biggest reason we might have sprayed any water is to cool the tanks”, said Mike Mehrer, Scotland Fire Chief.