Train derails in central Saskatchewan and catches fire; village being evacuated

WADENA, Sask. – A CN freight train has derailed in central Saskatchewan and is on fire.

The Saskatchewan government says the derailment happened near the small community of Clair, which is being evacuated.

Highway 5 has been closed in the area.

“Provincial emergency services are headed out there,” said Karen Hill, a spokeswoman for Saskatchewan provincial emergency services. “The RCMP have closed the highway in both directions.”

CN spokesman Jim Feeny said there are no reports of any injuries.

“They had fire and smoke,” Feeny said. “The crew is not injured, but we have reports from the local authorities that some nearby residents in the rural area have been evacuated.”

Provincial officials could not immediately say what the train was carrying, but added hazardous materials crews were en route.

A witness told radio station CKOM that the flames are at least 30 metres high.

Pictures from the scene suggest the derailment took place in a sparsely populated area. They show black smoke billowing high into the sky.

Clair is about 190 kilometres east of Saskatoon near the community of Wadena.

Smoke showing in #Saskatchewan at a train #derailment pic.twitter.com/nPJ59MHxse

— Fire&Wire (@FyrAndWyr) October 7, 2014

.@GlobalSaskatoon shooter @BrentMcGillivra posted these aerial shots of a train #derailment outside Wadena, #Sask pic.twitter.com/QuRMheLuce

— Shallima Maharaj (@ShallimaGlobal) October 7, 2014

UPDATE [07.10-21:10] FOTO #Wadena #Saskatchewan #Canada #treno in fiamme dopo deragliamento – No feriti #emergenza24 pic.twitter.com/dyPFZsArhm

— Emergenza24 (@Emergenza24) October 7, 2014