© Steve Poulin/QMI Agency
A train transporting crude oil derailed and exploded early Saturday morning in a town three hours east of Montreal, forcing the evacuation of the town's downtown and flooding a river with crude.
It was unclear Saturday morning if there were any injuries in the town of Lac-Megantic, about 300 km east of Montreal.
Seventy-three train wagons derailed - each carrying 100 tons of crude oil, Christian Blanchet, a spokeswoman from the local environment authority, said.
Blanchet said the explosions destroyed one wagon and three others caught fire, and that crude oil spilled into the Chaudiere River.
Authorities forced about 1,000 residents from their homes Saturday morning and about 4,000 homes were without electricity. A thick plume of smoke could be seen over parts of the town after the derailment, and witnesses told QMI Agency they heard at least six explosions.
Police cordoned off parts of the town and the security perimeter could be extended if investigators who are on site to test the air quality determine that the air is unsafe.
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