Authorities urge residents to evacuate a small North Dakota community after a mile-long train carrying crude oil derailed outside of town, shaking residents with a series of explosions that sent flames and black smoke skyward.
The Cass County Sheriff's Office said on Monday night that it was "strongly recommending" that people in the town of Casselton in North Dakota and anyone living five miles to the south and east should evacuate.
A shelter has been set up in Fargo, about 25 miles away. Casselton has about 2,400 residents.
The sheriff's office said the National Weather Service was forecasting a shift in the weather that could increase the risk of potential health hazards.
"That's going to put the plume right over the top of Casselton," Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney said at a news briefing.
Investigators couldn't get close to the blaze about a mile outside of Casselton and official estimates of how many train cars caught fire varied.
BNSF Railway Co. said it believes about 20 cars caught fire after its oil train left the tracks on Monday afternoon. The sheriff's office said it thinks 10 cars were on fire.
No one was hurt in the incident. The cars were still burning as darkness fell, and authorities said they would be allowed to burn out.
Authorities hadn't yet been able to determine exactly how the derailment happened, but a second train carrying grain was involved.
BNSF spokeswoman Amy McBeth said the train carrying grain derailed first, then knocked several cars of the oil train off adjoining tracks.
BNSF said both trains had more than 100 cars each.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday night it has launched a "go-team" to investigate the accident.
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