Very bad indeed! Had to look up info!
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Authorities expect to find more bodies in small town of Lac-Megantic
Explosions destroyed much of downtown district
At least 40 people reported missing
LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (AP) - As firefighters doused still burning oil tanker cars, more bodies were recovered Sunday in this devastated town in eastern Quebec, raising the death toll to five after a runaway train derailed, igniting explosions and fires that destroyed the downtown district.
With dozens of people reported missing, authorities expected to find more bodies once they reach the hardest-hit area.
Quebec provincial police Lt. Michel Brunet said Sunday that at least 40 people are reported missing, but cautioned that the number could fluctuate up or down. Brunet confirmed two more deaths early Sunday afternoon after confirming two people were found dead overnight. One death was confirmed Saturday.
Fires were preventing rescuers from reaching part of the 73-car train, and billowing black smoke could still be seen long after the derailment.
The eruptions early Saturday morning sent residents of Lac-Megantic scrambling through the streets under the intense heat of towering fireballs and a red glow that illuminated the night sky.
Local Fire Chief Denis Lauzon likened the charred scene to "a war zone."
"This is really terrible. Our community is grieving and it is taking its toll on us," Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche said.
The search for victims in the charred debris was hampered because two of the train's cars were still burning Sunday morning, sparking fears of more potentially fatal blasts.
Two of the five cars that exploded are still on fire 36 hours later, Lauzon said. He said firefighters are staying 500 feet from the burning tankers, which are being doused with water and foam to keep them from overheating and exploding. "It's a mess," he said.
The derailment caused several tanker rail cars to explode in the downtown district, a popular area packed with bars that often bustles on summer weekend nights. Police said the first explosion tore through the town shortly after 1 a.m. local time. The fire then spread to several homes.
