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| Sixty dead or missing after Lac-Megantic train blast | Sixty dead or missing after Lac-Megantic train blast |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Sixty people are now thought to be dead or missing after a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and blew up in Quebec, Canadian police say. | Sixty people are now thought to be dead or missing after a freight train carrying crude oil derailed and blew up in Quebec, Canadian police say. |
| Earlier, 50 people were unaccounted for after Saturday's blast in Lac-Megantic. There are 15 unidentified bodies. | |
| Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into what happened, but they have ruled out terrorism. | Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into what happened, but they have ruled out terrorism. |
| The boss of the train's US owner is due later to visit the scene, a day after he admitted "partial responsibility". | |
| At least 30 buildings were razed by the fireball from the explosion that rocked the town on Saturday morning. | At least 30 buildings were razed by the fireball from the explosion that rocked the town on Saturday morning. |
| 'Enormous task' | |
| But the entire town centre is being treated as a crime scene, with several additional streets cordoned off by police tape. | But the entire town centre is being treated as a crime scene, with several additional streets cordoned off by police tape. |
| Quebec Police Inspector Michel Forget said that while investigators had ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack, several other options - including criminal negligence - remained under consideration. | Quebec Police Inspector Michel Forget said that while investigators had ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack, several other options - including criminal negligence - remained under consideration. |
| "This is an enormous task ahead of us," the police inspector said. "We're not at the stage of arrests." | "This is an enormous task ahead of us," the police inspector said. "We're not at the stage of arrests." |
| Some 200 officers were still conducting searches on Wednesday morning. | Some 200 officers were still conducting searches on Wednesday morning. |
| But police said the effort was taking a toll on some crew members and two people had to be taken off the operation over worries for their physical condition. | But police said the effort was taking a toll on some crew members and two people had to be taken off the operation over worries for their physical condition. |
| "This is a very risky environment," said Quebec Provincial Police Sgt Benoit Richard. | "This is a very risky environment," said Quebec Provincial Police Sgt Benoit Richard. |
| "We have to secure the safety of those working there. We have some hotspots on the scene. There is some gas." | "We have to secure the safety of those working there. We have some hotspots on the scene. There is some gas." |
| Bodies incinerated? | Bodies incinerated? |
| Authorities have asked the relatives of those still missing to provide DNA samples by bringing in toothbrushes, razors and other items. | Authorities have asked the relatives of those still missing to provide DNA samples by bringing in toothbrushes, razors and other items. |
| But the authorities have also warned some of the bodies may have been burnt to ashes in the explosion. | But the authorities have also warned some of the bodies may have been burnt to ashes in the explosion. |
| The train, carrying 72 cars of crude oil, was parked shortly before midnight on Friday in the town of Nantes about seven miles (11km) away. | The train, carrying 72 cars of crude oil, was parked shortly before midnight on Friday in the town of Nantes about seven miles (11km) away. |
| Local firefighters were later called to put out a fire on the train. | Local firefighters were later called to put out a fire on the train. |
| While tackling that blaze, they shut down a locomotive that an engineer had left running to keep the brakes engaged. | While tackling that blaze, they shut down a locomotive that an engineer had left running to keep the brakes engaged. |
| Shortly afterwards the train began moving downhill in an 18-minute journey, gathering speed until it derailed in Lac-Megantic and exploded. | Shortly afterwards the train began moving downhill in an 18-minute journey, gathering speed until it derailed in Lac-Megantic and exploded. |
| The fire department and the train's owners have appeared to point the finger at one another over the disaster. | The fire department and the train's owners have appeared to point the finger at one another over the disaster. |
| Rail World chief executive Edward Burkhardt suggested on Tuesday evening that firefighters shared some blame. | |
| "We don't have total responsibility, but we have partial responsibility," he told reporters in Montreal. | |
| Earlier this week he told the media he had received hate messages. | |
| The train was carrying oil from the Bakken oil region in the US state of North Dakota to a refinery on the east coast of Canada. | The train was carrying oil from the Bakken oil region in the US state of North Dakota to a refinery on the east coast of Canada. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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