A train carrying petrochemicals has exploded in a Canadian town, forcing the evacuation of up to 1,000 people. The blast sent a fireball and black smoke into the air, destroying dozens of buildings in Lac-Megantic, some 155 miles (250 km) east of Montreal.

The train derailed early on Saturday; police who worked through the night said several people were missing, but no casualties had yet been confirmed. Firefighters from across the border in the US are helping tackle the blaze. "When you see the centre of your town almost destroyed, you'll understand that we're asking ourselves how we are going to get through this event," an emotional Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche told a televised news briefing.

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