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| Quebec train crash death toll rises to five as police search for more victims | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The death toll from the explosion of a runaway freight train in a small Quebec town rose to five on Sunday and another 40 people are missing, police said on Sunday. | |
| The driverless train derailed and blew up early Saturday in Lac-Megantic, destroying dozens of buildings in the center of the town. | |
| "Two more people have been recovered, two more bodies, which brings the total to five … 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." | |
| Meanwhile, fires continued burning for more than 24 hours after a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed in eastern Quebec, igniting explosions and fires that destroyed a town's centre and killed at least one person. Police said they expected the death toll to rise. | Meanwhile, fires continued burning for more than 24 hours after a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed in eastern Quebec, igniting explosions and fires that destroyed a town's centre and killed at least one person. Police said they expected the death toll to rise. |
| The explosions sent residents of Lac-Mégantic scrambling through the streets under the intense heat of towering fireballs and a red glow that illuminated the night sky, witnesses said. Flames and billowing black smoke could still be seen long after the 73-car train had derailed, and a fire chief likened the charred scene to a war zone. | The explosions sent residents of Lac-Mégantic scrambling through the streets under the intense heat of towering fireballs and a red glow that illuminated the night sky, witnesses said. Flames and billowing black smoke could still be seen long after the 73-car train had derailed, and a fire chief likened the charred scene to a war zone. |
| Up to 2,000 people were forced from their homes in the lakeside town of 6,000 people, which is about 155 miles east of Montreal and about 10 miles west of the Maine border. | Up to 2,000 people were forced from their homes in the lakeside town of 6,000 people, which is about 155 miles east of Montreal and about 10 miles west of the Maine border. |
| Quebec provincial police lieutenant Michel Brunet confirmed that one person had died. He refused to say how many others might be dead, but said authorities had been told "many" people have been reported missing. | Quebec provincial police lieutenant Michel Brunet confirmed that one person had died. He refused to say how many others might be dead, but said authorities had been told "many" people have been reported missing. |
| Lt Guy Lapointe, a spokesman with Quebec provincial police, said: "I don't want to get into numbers, what I will say is we do expect we'll have other people who will be found deceased unfortunately. "People are calling in reported love ones missing, some people are reported two, three times missing by different members of the family," he said. | Lt Guy Lapointe, a spokesman with Quebec provincial police, said: "I don't want to get into numbers, what I will say is we do expect we'll have other people who will be found deceased unfortunately. "People are calling in reported love ones missing, some people are reported two, three times missing by different members of the family," he said. |
| The derailment caused several tanker rail cars to explode in an area packed with bars that often bustles on summer weekend nights. | The derailment caused several tanker rail cars to explode in an area packed with bars that often bustles on summer weekend nights. |
| Police said the first explosion tore through the town shortly after 1am local time on Saturday. The fire then spread to several homes. | Police said the first explosion tore through the town shortly after 1am local time on Saturday. The fire then spread to several homes. |
| "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," the 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," the mayor, Colette Roy-Laroche, told a televised news briefing. |
| The cause of the accident was believed to be a runaway train, the railway's operator said. | The cause of the accident was believed to be a runaway train, the railway's operator said. |
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