Two W Virginia Towns Evacuated after Derailed Train Explodes

State of emergency declared in West Virginia after derailed train explodes

A freight train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded forcing the residents in two West Virginia towns to evacuate, 

At least 1,000 people were evacuated, said a state official.

The incident occurred in Fayette County in southern W Virginia at about 18:30UTC on Monday, as the two-locomotive, 109-car CSX-owned train carrying Bakken crude was traveling from North Dakota to Yorktown, Virginia.

As many as 15 tanker cars were involved in the derailment and fiery explosion, and some of the oil leaking into the Kanawha River had also caught fire after the incident, said officials.