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| Canada runaway train: Lac-Megantic death toll rises | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Another two bodies have been found after a runaway train carrying crude oil exploded in the Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, police say. | Another two bodies have been found after a runaway train carrying crude oil exploded in the Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, police say. |
| The death toll from Saturday's blast stands at five; there are fears it will rise further as 40 people are missing. | The death toll from Saturday's blast stands at five; there are fears it will rise further as 40 people are missing. |
| The pre-dawn explosion sent a fireball and black smoke into the air, forcing the evacuation of 2,000 people. | The pre-dawn explosion sent a fireball and black smoke into the air, forcing the evacuation of 2,000 people. |
| Dozens of buildings were destroyed in the town, about 250km (155 miles) east of Montreal. | Dozens of buildings were destroyed in the town, about 250km (155 miles) east of Montreal. |
| Police are trying to account for dozens of missing people - popular bars near the blast site were said to have been crowded at the time. | Police are trying to account for dozens of missing people - popular bars near the blast site were said to have been crowded at the time. |
| "There are about 40 people, more or less, who are considered to be missing," police spokesman Michel Brunet told reporters. "There could be more, there could be less." | "There are about 40 people, more or less, who are considered to be missing," police spokesman Michel Brunet told reporters. "There could be more, there could be less." |
| Police said earlier they expected the death toll to rise, but were checking whether people reported missing were simply away on holiday. | Police said earlier they expected the death toll to rise, but were checking whether people reported missing were simply away on holiday. |
| 'It's a mess' | 'It's a mess' |
| Two of five cars that exploded were still ablaze nearly 36 hours later, Lac-Megantic Fire Chief Denis Lauzon told reporters on Sunday morning. | |
| Firefighters have been battling the flames with water and a fire retardant, but are staying at least 1,000 ft from the burning tankers for fear of more blasts, he added. | Firefighters have been battling the flames with water and a fire retardant, but are staying at least 1,000 ft from the burning tankers for fear of more blasts, he added. |
| About 30 buildings - including some of the town's most historic structures - were obliterated by the blast. | About 30 buildings - including some of the town's most historic structures - were obliterated by the blast. |
| "We lost the bibliotheque [library] which had all the memories of people here - it's a mess," said Chief Lauzon. | "We lost the bibliotheque [library] which had all the memories of people here - it's a mess," said Chief Lauzon. |
| The five bodies found are so charred they have been sent to Montreal for identification, police say. | |
| The fires have been so intense and have burnt for so long that Quebec police warn some bodies may never be recovered. | |
| Prime Minister Stephen Harper was due to tour the stricken town later on Sunday. | |
| People whose homes have been badly damaged are being sheltered at a nearby school. | People whose homes have been badly damaged are being sheltered at a nearby school. |
| 'Like an atom bomb' | |
| The train's 73 cars carrying pressurised containers of crude oil reportedly uncoupled from five locomotive engines parked outside the town around 01:00 (06:00 BST) on Saturday, gathering speed as they rolled down the tracks before derailing in Lac-Megantic. | |
| Eyewitnesses said that by the time the cars reached the town they were travelling at considerable speed. | Eyewitnesses said that by the time the cars reached the town they were travelling at considerable speed. |
| Bernard Demers, who runs a restaurant near the blast site, said the fireball that followed the derailment was "like an atomic bomb", the Sunday Telegraph reported. | Bernard Demers, who runs a restaurant near the blast site, said the fireball that followed the derailment was "like an atomic bomb", the Sunday Telegraph reported. |
| A one-kilometre exclusion zone was set up amid fears of more pressurised containers exploding. | A one-kilometre exclusion zone was set up amid fears of more pressurised containers exploding. |
| The Montreal, Maine & Atlantic train was parked in the village of Nantes - about 7km (four miles) from Lac-Megantic - during an overnight driver shift-change, said a company spokesman. | |
| A driver had parked the train and put the brakes of its engines on "properly" before going to a local hotel for the night, said the spokesman, Joe McGonigle. | A driver had parked the train and put the brakes of its engines on "properly" before going to a local hotel for the night, said the spokesman, Joe McGonigle. |
| But the fuel cars somehow became uncoupled, causing them to roll downhill into the town and derail, he added. | But the fuel cars somehow became uncoupled, causing them to roll downhill into the town and derail, he added. |
| The train was carrying the crude oil from the Bakken Field in North Dakota. Montreal, Maine & Atlantic owns more than 800km (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 800km (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 US border with Maine and Vermont, and is 130 miles north of Maine's capital, Augusta. |