Inferno ... firefighters douse oil train's flaming cars
A train carrying crude oil has derailed, sparking huge explosions that wiped out half a town. A large area of Lac-Megantic — around 150 miles east of Montreal — in Quebec, Canada, was destroyed in the blasts. Up to 1,000 people were evacuated as some of the train’s 73 cars burst into flame and the fire spread to a number of nearby homes. At least one person died and others were reported missing.
Fumes ... black smoke billows across the town of Lac-Megantic
Perilous ... a firefighter surveys the deadly scene
But provincial police lieutenant Michel Brunet said: “We’re told some people are missing but they may just be out of town or on vacation.”
The town was cordoned off as firefighters from surrounding areas flocked to the disaster zone to try to tackle the blaze.
Carnage ... a car from the derailed train straddles the pavement
Resident Claude Bedard said: “It’s terrible. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
A large amount of the fuel also spilled into the Chaudiere River, sparking further fears. Environment spokesman Christian Blanchette said: “We have a mobile laboratory here to monitor the quality of the air, but we also have a spill on the lake and river that is concerning us.
“We have advised the local municipalities downstream to be careful if they take their water from the Chaudiere.”
The train, which was reportedly heading towards Maine in the US, belongs to the Montreal Maine & Atlantic company. The cause of the derailment is not yet known.
