Illinois Train Derailment Leads To Huge Fire And Evacuations

Schools and residences were evacuated after a train derailment sparked a fire in Dupo, Illinois. The derailment reportedly happened in the 300 block of Main Street Tuesday. Around 14 train cars were derailed in the area, Union Pacific said.

Witnesses on scene told News 4 they heard the sound of railcars breaking, then the sound of metal crunching and clanging before the cars went of the track and flames erupted.

"I was just standing out here working and seen a giant fireball out of the corner of my eye and I looked over and saw smoke billowing and then it started spreading down the tracks about five minutes after that," said Patrick Wilson, who works near the site of the accident.

"It sounded like it jumped off at first. You could hear the brakes and then it was all just boom, boom, boom after that and then the fireball."