Train carrying new cars derails west of Cambridge, Ont.

A Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) freight train carrying new cars derailed just west of Cambridge, Ont. on Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesperson for CPKC told CTV News via email the freight train was carrying finished automotive vehicles when it derailed around 4 p.m.

“There were no injuries, and there are no public safety concerns,” the spokesperson said.

“CPKC crews and equipment are responding to the derailment. CPKC regrets the inconvenience the incident created.”

A train is seen after it derailed west of Cambridge, Ont. on May 17. (Terry Kelly/CTV News)

Robert Shantz, fire chief of the Township of North Dumfries told CTV News that a total of 13 train cars were off the tracks.

“Fire has been released from the scene. There’s no public safety concern from the trains that have come off the tracks,” Shantz said around 6 p.m.

Shantz said non-hazardous material was involved in the derailment.

All cars that came off the tracks were car carriers, according to Shantz.

Shantz expects it will be a lengthy process to clean it up and repair the tracks.

A portion of a train that derailed near Cambridge, Ont. on May 17. (Submitted)

Waterloo regional police said the line the train is on is a CP railway line, and they are handling the investigation

In a tweet posted just before 6 p.m., the Township of North Dumfries said Alps Road between Dumfries Road and Reidsville Road is closed due to a CP train derailment of non-hazardous material.

The road closure remained in effect for over 12 hours with the township tweeting Thursday around 7:30 a.m. that Alps Road had reopened.

"At approximately 16:46 hours (4:46 pm) this afternoon the North Dumfries Fire Department was dispatched to attend a derailment along the CP rail corridor. Upon investigation it was confirmed that a CP freight train, comprised of car carriers, derailed in an area generally located between Alps Road and Cedar Creek Road," the township said in a post to its website.

The Transportation Saftey Board (TSB) said it was notified of the derailment on Wednesday evening.

"We are currently monitoring the situation and gathering information, but we are not planning on deploying investigators to the scene as of right now," the TSB said in an email.

A photo of the derailed train on May 17, 2023. (CTV News/Terry Kelly)

Around 6 p.m., a truck with a boom on it arrived to the scene. 

The boom truck had to go through a farmer’s field in order to get to the train cars.

The cause of the derailment remains unknown.