Many residents have left a town in North Dakota after a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded, but officials warned that toxic smoke could blow into the area.
No injuries have been reported A mile-long train derailed just outside the small town of Casselton, starting a series of blazes and sending an enormous fireball high into the sky.
People said the blasts rattled the windows of properties in the area, including the town's City Hall.
There were fears of smoke overwhelming Casselton, and health experts were testing the quality of the air.
Cass County sheriff's office advised the town's 2,400 residents to evacuate because of concerns about the smoke - and about two-thirds of the town's residents had heeded the recommendation.
A shelter was set up in Fargo, about 25 miles (40km) away.
The fire burned out but smoke remained in the area.
"Is it highly hazardous or did most of it burn off in the fire?" Sheriff Paul Laney said of elements in burning crude that could be risky for health.
"We just don't know."
Investigators say they are still trying to work out what caused several of the carriages from the train to leave the tracks on Monday afternoon.
They said it appears to be the result of the train colliding with a grain carriage.
The explosion occurred about a mile outside Casselton Nobody was injured, but the mayor of Casselton told the AP news agency he felt like a bullet had been dodged.
"There have been numerous derailments in this area," Mayor Ed McConnell said.
"It's almost gotten to the point that it looks like not if we're going to have an accident, it's when.
"We dodged a bullet by having it out of town, but this is too close for comfort."
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