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.

Hundreds of Homes Evacuated after Ohio Railcar Leak

Flammable liquid spill from derailed train forces mass evacuation

Hundreds of homes will remain evacuated in Willard, Ohio after a train derailment damaged a railcar that spilled flammable liquid, according to CSX Corp, AP reported.

The damaged car reportedly leaked more than 26,000 gallons of styrene monomer, a highly flammable chemical used to make plastic products.

Willard (population: 6,300) a small city in northern Ohio is located about 65 miles southwest of Cleveland.

CSX Corp owns the railroad company CSX Transportation that serves most of the U.S. East Coast.