Downtown #Lac-Megantic, Que., in flames after derailment . Mayor says city centre destroyed. http://t.co/kyLzU0BsNM
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) July 6, 2013
Images of devastation are circulating on Twitter after the overnight derailment of a train carrying crude oil in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. Casualties are still unknown.
1st responders having trouble getting close enough to check for survivors. Friends of those missing fear the worst. #megantic #cbcmtl
— Jay Turnbull (@TurnbullJay) July 6, 2013
Describes panicked scene in aftermath of the multiple explosions "People not finding their kids. It was total mayhem."#cbcmtl #lacmegantic
— Jay Turnbull (@TurnbullJay) July 6, 2013
Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche reportedly said the city center has been destroyed.
#LacMegantic Mayor says this is the biggest catastrophe she's ever seen. The city centre is destroyed. #quebecfire
— Asha Tomlinson (@AshaTomlinson) July 6, 2013
The fire following explosions forced the evacuation of 1,000 people and damaged 30 buildings. One resident said, “This sky was red, yellow. It was like, it was like the end of the world.”
Witness tells CBC several bldngs in #lacmegantic knocked to the ground, including part of a pub with a terrace loaded with people. #cbcmtl
— Jay Turnbull (@TurnbullJay) July 6, 2013
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Same witness says half of downtown is "gone. Literally." Buildings and homes knocked to ground. #cbcmtl #lacmegantic
— Jay Turnbull (@TurnbullJay) July 6, 2013
Remarkable photo of explosion in Lac-Megantic via @rc_estrie: pic.twitter.com/eNRogjHWR7
— Catherine Cullen (@cath_cullen) July 6, 2013
Another incredible photo of explosion in Lac-Megantic via @rc_estrie: pic.twitter.com/RqcQD6kIig
— Catherine Cullen (@cath_cullen) July 6, 2013
Photos of Lac-Megantic explosions from colleagues at @rc_estrie are astounding. Like this one: pic.twitter.com/N4gDje31im
— Catherine Cullen (@cath_cullen) July 6, 2013
#déflagration à #LacMégantic : photographie prise à partir de l'hélicoptère de la Sûreté du Québec. pic.twitter.com/9l3sZK6wDj
— Sûreté du Québec (@sureteduquebec) July 6, 2013
CBC's “@willy_lowry: is in Lac Megantic RTThe closer you get the more intense the smoke becomes. #cbcmtl pic.twitter.com/zMyLakVNOO” #cbcmtl
— Jay Turnbull (@TurnbullJay) July 6, 2013
#LacMegantic Mayor says this is the biggest catastrophe she's ever seen. The city centre is destroyed. #quebecfire
— Asha Tomlinson (@AshaTomlinson) July 6, 2013
The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
Update:
60 people reported missing in Lac-Megantic fire: Radio Cda . 30 buildings destroyed in explosion. Lac-#Megantic #Quebec
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) July 6, 2013
Update:
Officials have reportedly declared one person dead. Many more are still missing.
BREAKING: One person declared dead after oil train derailment in #Quebec http://t.co/9RpmtY1j6Q #LacMegantic
— RT (@RT_com) July 6, 2013
Twitchy will monitor the Lac-Mégantic fire and update as more details become available.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
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