Fiery Washington state train derailment leads to evacuation of nearby homes, businesses A number of train cars caught fire after a derailment near Birch Bay, Wash., according to the Whatcom County sheriff's office, leading to a large evacuation of the area and closure of the I-5 highway on Tuesday afternoon. Social Sharing Train cars caught fire after a derailment near Birch Bay, according to the Whatcom County sheriff's office CBC News · Posted: Dec 22, 2020 2:21 PM PT | Last Updated: December 23, 2020 A photo posted to Twitter by the Whatcom County sheriff's office shows a fire and huge plume of dark smoke near buildings and vehicles on Tuesday, following the derailment in Custer, Wash., of a BNSF train carrying crude oil.(Whatcom County Sheriff's Office)