Prague – The Czech firefighters were fighting a great chemical fire in the east of the Czech Republic on Friday after a cargo train derailed and the cancer of the damaged tanks cars caught fire.
The derailment took place near the station in the city of Hustopeče Nad Bečvou around noon at local time (1100 GMT), with the fire sending thick black smoke in the air visible from a long distance. The cause of derailment was under investigation. No one has been injured.
The closest houses in the city are about 500 meters (around a quarter of mile) of the fire, but the smoke had not reached them.
Firefighters said 15 of the 17 tanks on the train were on fire. Each tank contained approximately 60 metric tons (66 tons) of the toxic substance. They used a helicopter to contain the fire while their counterparts from neighboring Slovakia were on their way to help.
The authorities said that no hazardous substances levels have been detected that exceed the limits in the city, but reported that residents there and in nearby cities and towns do not open their windows and remain inside.
Benzol contains benzene, toluene and xylene, which are used to make various chemical substances.
