"Oil Tank Car Fire Forces Evacuation of North Dakota Town"

"A train carrying highly volatile crude oil derailed and erupted into flames on Wednesday morning, forcing the evacuation of a small town in North Dakota, according to local and federal officials.

It was at least the sixth oil train accident in North America this year, and like several of those previous accidents, it involved a newer generation of tank cars that were built to be more durable. And it occurred less than a week after the federal government outlined its plans to improve the safety of hazardous train traffic, including the durability of tank cars.

The BNSF-operated train derailed near Heimdal, about 100 miles northeast of Bismarck, resulting in a large fire that involved six tank cars, according to the railroad. There were no injuries."

Jad Mouawad reports for the New York Times May 6, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"Firefighters' Union Says New Oil-By-Rail Rules Fall Short" (Huffington Post)

"Crude Oil Rail Supply Jumps for East Coast Refiners" (The Hill)

"New Oil Train Rules Are Hit From All Sides" (New York Times)

"DOT Issues Final Rules on Flammable Oil Trains" (Politico)