2013 Lac-Megantic Train Disaster

[Meatpie]

The center of a Quebec town has been wiped out, according to the mayor, after a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in a fireball at 1am on Saturday.

About 30 buildings were destroyed and 60 people are believed to be missing, but the force of the fire has prevented rescue workers from searching for survivors.

Parts of the town were evacuated in the early hours as fireballs shot several metres in the air, flames spread to nearby homes and thick acrid smoke filled the air in Lac-Megantic, which is close to the Maine border and about 250km from Montreal.

Residents watched in horror as the fire spread

About 30 buildings in the center of the town, near the border with Maine, have burnt down

Water is sprayed on to a burning rail car close to the railway track

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hundreds-tons-crude-oil-derails-explodes.html

 

[ukon]

Wow, did not think crude oil could explode like that , possibly some gas tankers involved . thanks

 

[KiltedSoldier]

I heard maybe 50 people were vapourised ? If you are from that town and want to disappear now is your chance

 

[alexonedeath]

I heard maybe 50 people were vapourised ? If you are from that town and want to disappear now is your chance

I too read with interest about all the people who will not be found because they were vaporized. Things have to get pretty damn hot to turn solids into gases.

 

[gibing]

This must be hell on earth.

 

[Art Of War]

47 confirmed dead, three bodies missing.

The driver of the train parked the train on an incline and went to sleep, then the train rolled down the incline and derailed then exploded.

A few managed to run away from the bar, one person went back for his wife and died.
Roughly a 1/3 who died were not in the bar but in the blast vicinity, most of them in bed.

Trains carrying goods like this are now required, wait for it.....to have two train drivers!!!!