Around two thirds of the residents of a North Dakota town were evacuated late Monday after a train carrying grain smashed into another carrying crude oil, causing an explosion and flames that sent black smoke billowing toward residents, according to Reuters.
No injuries have been reported, and the 2,400 people of Casselton may be cleared to return home as soon as the wind shifts smoke clouds away from their homes. A member of the National Transportation Safety Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Firefighters were able to save about half of the train's 104 cars, but the Los Angeles Times reports that, after those were detached, they had to let the rest burn. The fire was too hot to approach, and the risk of explosion was deemed too great.
Darrin Radermacher, who was on the scene shortly after the derailment, captured the video below showing the explosion. He sent the footage to a local radio station in Fargo Moorhead, North Dakota.

This accident is just the latest in a string of incidents involving oil trains in North America and does not come close to the most consequential.
This past July a 72-car oil train from North Dakota derailed and exploded in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, claiming the lives of more than 40 people. Two other accidents followed shortly after; no deaths were reported.
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Image: YouTube, Dan Gunderson