USA TODAY
A train carrying crude oil derailed and caught fire on Tuesday in Washington state near the Canadian border, prompting a major emergency response and temporarily forcing the closure of Interstate 5 in both directions.
Authorities lifted an evacuation order Tuesday evening for residents of the small town of Custer, about 100 miles north of Seattle.
The train derailed at 11:46 a.m. in Custer, State Patrol Trooper Heather Axtman said in a news conference. Seven cars derailed and five of them caught fire, according to the state s Department of Ecology. Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.
“Everyone’s in danger at a scene like this, but fortunately there were no injuries,” Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo said at a news conference, adding that the fire was under control.