As I watched the details unfold, the media made it no secret that the derailed train was hauling oil. The train was moving quickly, and after it derailed, it rolled into a small Canadian town just north of the State of Maine after midnight while the bars were full, as well as stores, a library, and residential streets. One person has been confirmed dead. The death toll is likely to rise as they determine who, and how many, were in town. Dozens of buildings were destroyed.
When the train entered town, four of the cars blew up, leaving the town looking like a war zone. As the action settled, and the flames lighted the streets, town residents could be seen crying, and hugging each other for comfort.
The train was parked, so the cause of derailment is unknown. Somehow, the train was released from its resting spot. Nobody was on board.
As the reports came in on the television, questions were being posed over the safety of transporting oil by rail, and the impact on the surrounding environment, including waterways, by the spilled oil. This crash will also, no doubt, enter the debate over the Keystone pipeline. Some environmentalists say this will actually help the Keystone cause, because this accident may show that transporting oil by pipeline may be safer than using rail cars.
The town's large crowds, up late, was the result of the area's popularity with tourists largely from Maine and Vermont.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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