Railroad says broken wheel likely caused Kansas derailment

MCPHERSON, Kan. (AP) — Union Pacific officials believe that a broken wheel likely caused this weekend’s derailment that spilled denatured alcohol inside a Kansas refinery. Railroad spokeswoman Kristen South said crews continued to clean up the site of the derailment inside the CHS refinery in McPherson on Monday — one day after 13 cars came off the tracks. Two of the derailed cars leaked alcohol into a ditch after the Sunday morning crash. But South said the McPherson fire department and staff at the refinery were able to quickly contain the spill. By Monday evening, five of the 13 cars that derailed had been cleared from the site. Railroad safety has been in the spotlight ever since last month’s fiery Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio.