What a horrible tragedy. On July 6, a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in a small Canadian town near the United states border, igniting the entire town in fire and endangering countless lives.
The town of Lac-Megantic, a town in Quebec, Canada about 150 miles from Maine, is engulfed in flames on July 6. It has been wiped out after a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded. As of now, 30 buildings have been destroyed and 60 people are believed to be missing and possibly dead.
Train Derails & Explodes In Small Canadian Town — 60 Missing
Other parts of the town were evacuated in the early morning of July 6 after the train derailed at about 1 AM, causing fireballs to dangerously shoot in the sky. The flames spread to nearby homes and the sky was coated in a thick black smoke.
Thoughts are now turned to the 60 people who are believed to be missing closest to the explosion site. So far, rescue teams have been unable to get close to the damage because of the force of the explosion.
It is not yet known if anyone died from the accident — no one was on the freight train, which was being driven on autopilot, the Hamilton Spectator reports — but it is a very real possibility. On such a nice summer evening, the town was still bustling and bars were still full when the train crashed.
“We do fear that there are going to be casualties,” Sergeant Gregory Gomez del Prado of the Quebec Police told CTV News.
Lac-Megantic Train Explosion: ‘It’s Terrible’
Lac-Megantic is a small lakeside town that has about 6,000 residents. It’s such an awful accident, with such a large impact especially considering the town’s small size. Over 100 firefighters are still working to stop the fire from spreading in the town, according to CBC.
“It’s terrible,” resident Claude Bedard said. “We’ve never seen anything like it. The Metro store, Dollarama, everything that was there is gone.”
A Facebook page has already been set up to help family and friends check on their loved ones.
What a scary, terrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the residents of Lac-Megantic, and all those police officers and firefighters who have rushed to the scene to help.
WATCH: Massive Fire Erupts In Quebec Town After Train Derails
– Andrew Gruttadaro
More Tragic Accidents:
- Texas Fertilizer Explosion Kills 15, Injures More Than 100
- Texas Explosion Video — Girl Cries To Father: Get Me Out Of Here
- Josh Powell Kills Two Sons & Self In An Explosion — So Sad