At approximately 5:00 p.m. local time on March 18, 2026, a freight train derailed in Mecca, California.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Park Side Avenue and Highway 111. According to a statement from the Riverside County Fire Department, “More than a dozen freight cars belonging to Union Pacific Railroad derailed; none of the cars were carrying hazardous materials.”

Following the incident, the fire department’s hazardous materials response team, county sanitation officials, Union Pacific Railroad personnel, and law enforcement officers quickly arrived at the scene, where they remained on-site throughout the cleanup operation.

A spokesperson for Union Pacific Railroad confirmed to the media that “the incident occurred near Park Side Avenue and State Park Road, where approximately 40 rail cars derailed; there were no hazardous material leaks at the scene.”

At present, the cleanup operation is being handled entirely by the railway company. The specific cause of the accident is still under investigation, and no details have been released at this time.