NBC News | May 6, 2015 | Column by Lisa Riordan Seville
A tiny North Dakota town was evacuated Wednesday after a train carrying crude oil derailed and 10 cars burst into flames, local authorities said. It is the latest in a string of explosive oil train derailments that have raised concerns about the large volume of crude moving across America's tracks.
No injuries have been reported from the derailment of a BNSF train near Heimdal, North Dakota, the Wells County Sheriff's Office told local station Valley News Live. The town, which in 2010 had a population of 27, has been evacuated, as have farms near the crash site.
Fire crews from three nearby towns were called in. Thick black smoke was billowing from the burning tank cars, officials said. Federal regulators said investigators are on their way to the scene.
BNSF said it was aware of the incident and cooperating with first responders.
The accident comes nearly two years after a tragic oil derailment that killed 47 people and destroyed the center of a small Quebec town.
Last week, federal regulators passed new safety rules governing crude by rail, which has become a booming business thanks to the growth in U.S. oil production. Nearly 450,000 tankers of crude moved through North America last year, up from just 9,500 in 2009.
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