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Petrochemical train explodes in Quebec's Lac-Megantic Petrochemical train explodes in Quebec's Lac-Megantic
(35 minutes later)
A train carrying petrochemicals has exploded in a Canadian town, forcing the evacuation of up to 1,000 people. A train carrying light crude oil has exploded in a Canadian town, forcing the evacuation of up to 1,000 people.
The blast sent a fireball and black smoke into the air, destroying dozens of buildings in Lac-Megantic, some 155 miles (250 km) east of Montreal.The blast sent a fireball and black smoke into the air, destroying dozens of buildings in Lac-Megantic, some 155 miles (250 km) east of Montreal.
The train derailed early on Saturday; police who worked through the night said several people were missing, but no casualties had yet been confirmed. The fuel cars reportedly uncoupled from the parked train engine and derailed early on Saturday. Some 120 firefighters are fighting the blaze.
Firefighters from across the border in the US are helping tackle the blaze. Several people are missing, but no casualties have yet been confirmed.
The train had more than 70 cars filled with petroleum products, some of which exploded, setting fire to nearby homes and businesses. Explosion fears
A one-kilometre exclusion zone has been set up around the derailed train amid fears of more pressurised containers exploding due to the fire. The Montreal Maine & Atlantic train had five locomotive engines and 77 cars filled with light crude oil, and was parked outside Lac-Megantic during an overnight driver shift-change, a company spokesman told Canada's La Presse newspaper.
It was too early to determine the cause of the blaze, Quebec police spokesman Sergeant Gregory Gomez del Prado told the BBC. The cars filled with fuel somehow became uncoupled, causing them to roll into the town and derail, said the spokesman, Joe McGonigle.
"We do fear that there will be fatalities and from now we're trying to locate the people that are still missing," he told BBC World. Some of the cars exploded, setting fire to nearby homes and businesses.
"It seems that the brakes were tight on locomotives," Mr McGonigle told La Presse. "We found the locomotives higher up, half a mile (800m) away."
The fire was still raging more than 12 hours after the incident: A one-kilometre exclusion zone has been set up amid fears of more pressurised containers exploding.
Quebec police spokesman Sergeant Gregory Gomez del Prado told the BBC: "We do fear that there will be fatalities and from now we're trying to locate the people that are still missing."
'Everything gone''Everything gone'
"When you see the centre of your town almost destroyed, you'll understand that we're asking ourselves how we are going to get through this event," an emotional Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche told a televised news briefing."When you see the centre of your town almost destroyed, you'll understand that we're asking ourselves how we are going to get through this event," an emotional Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche told a televised news briefing.
Resident Claude Bedard described the scene of the explosions as "dreadful''.Resident Claude Bedard described the scene of the explosions as "dreadful''.
"We've never seen anything like it," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency."We've never seen anything like it," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
"The Metro store, Dollarama, everything that was there is gone.""The Metro store, Dollarama, everything that was there is gone."
Firefighters from across the border in the US are helping tackle the blaze.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper tweeted: "Thoughts & prayers are with those impacted in Lac Megantic. Horrible news.''
Some of the train's cargo spilled into the nearby Chaudiere river, said Environment Quebec spokesman Christian Blanchette, adding that communities downstream of Lac-Megantic had been warned to take care if using river water.Some of the train's cargo spilled into the nearby Chaudiere river, said Environment Quebec spokesman Christian Blanchette, adding that communities downstream of Lac-Megantic had been warned to take care if using river water.
A mobile laboratory had been set up to monitor the quality of the air, he added.A mobile laboratory had been set up to monitor the quality of the air, he added.
The train was reportedly destined for Maine and run by Montreal Maine & Atlantic which owns more than 500 miles of track serving Maine, Vermont, Quebec and New Brunswick. The train was carrying the crude oil from the Bakken Field in North Dakota. Montreal Maine & Atlantic owns more than 500 miles of track serving Maine, Vermont, Quebec and New Brunswick.
A lakeside town that is home to some 6,000 people, Lac-Megantic is close to the border with Vermont and just 130 miles north of Maine's capital, Augusta.A lakeside town that is home to some 6,000 people, Lac-Megantic is close to the border with Vermont and just 130 miles north of Maine's capital, Augusta.
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