Train Derailment, Blast Spark Evacuations

A train carrying liquefied propane derailed Monday morning, setting off an explosion and fire that forced evacuations from this small central New York city and shut down a section of highway.

The 7 a.m. blast sent a huge fireball into the dawn sky. Thick smoke continued pouring out hours later as about half a dozen propane tanker cars burned, said Police Chief David Meeker. The explosion followed the derailment of about 20 of the train's 80 cars.

"At last count, I thought we had 10 to 12 that were on fire," Fire Department Lt. Kevin Salerno said.

Fire crews fought to keep the flames from spreading to other tanker cars, about half of which carried propane.

"There is danger of further explosions," said Salerno.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

The derailment occurred in an unpopulated area on Oneida's north side.

"They had to bring in some heavy equipment to make roadways, because where it happened is like out in the woodsy area. It's a remote access, so that's made it a little bit difficult to get to the scene itself," Salerno told CBS News.

Officials were evacuating an area of about a one-mile radius, covering most of the downtown area of the city of 10,000. Up to 4,000 people live within that area, but the evacuation was mandatory only for homes closest to the blast.

"We did have to evacuate a couple of schools that were in that area," Salerno said.

A 23-mile stretch of the state Thruway, which passes within a mile of the explosion, was closed in both directions as a precaution, said Patrick Noonan, a spokesman for the Thruway Authority.

Amtrak suspended service between Syracuse and Albany.

The CSX Corp. train that derailed was headed from Buffalo to Selkirk, just south of Albany, said company spokesman Robert Sullivan. He said the cause of the accident hadn't been determined.

Sullivan said that in addition to propane, two cars were carrying hazardous materials. One contained a flammable liquid and the other carried a corrosive, but he had no other details on the materials.