Updated at 10:36 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
Two engineers were rescued from the Gunnison River Tuesday night after a Union Pacific train derailed into the river.
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Molly Casey said the derailment occurred around 11 p.m.
“They were able to bring the engineers out of that derailed train car at about 1 a.m., and it was snowing heavily most of the time. So there was a fear of a bit of hypothermia, so we're glad we were able to get them out. Right now, that is what we have from the scene and we are working with our responding agencies to provide a more thorough response as we're able to kind of put together more information,” Casey said.
The engineers were uninjured.
The derailment was caused by a rockslide south of Whitewater, a Union Pacific spokesperson said in an email. Two locomotives and five traincars loaded with coal derailed. Some fuel has leaked, according to Union Pacific.
Information about the status of the train and what it was carrying was not yet available.
The derailment occurred between the areas of Bridgeport and Whitewater, which is 10 miles south of Grand Junction. Train tracks run along the Gunnison River between Delta and Grand Junction.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
