Many buildings in central Lynchburg, Virginia, had to be evacuated on Wednesday during the afternoon after a CSX train pulling many cars filled with crude oil derailed and caught fire, local authorities reported.
A spokesperson for the CSX Corp told Reuters that during the incident, various cars spilled crude oil onto the James River, and that there was fire and smoke at the location of the accident.
Although until Thursday the first reports indicated that no one had been injured, at least 300 people had to be evacuated from their homes and workplaces due to the imminent risk of fire and toxic gases.
JoAnn Martin, communications director for the city of Lynchburg, said that around 14 cars of a train operated by CSX Corp derailed shortly after 14:00, Eastern Time, a few meters away from many office buildings and homes in downtown Lynchburg.
This is not the first accident involving trains transporting crude oil in the past year. In July 2013, a train lost control and exploded in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, killing 47 people, according to the news agency.
The transportation of liquid fuel through land has been harshly criticized in recent year by various organizations who have request stronger regulations against oil transports through North America.
Jim Hall, former president of the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) told the media that "This is another call to attention. We have these trains filled with crude oil moving through all of the United States, through our communities, and growth and distribution have happened, unfortunately, while federal regulators are sleeping."
According to the CBS, Jim Hall said that "federal ruling is too slow to protect the American people from these incidents."
The train was removed by CSX Corp workers and a few hours after the accident, the evacuated people returned to their homes and workplaces.