TISKILWA, Ill., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Residents of a small town in Illinois fled their homes early Friday after a train carrying ethanol derailed, setting off explosions, authorities said.
No injuries were reported.
Most people in Tiskilwa were wakened by the blasts, WLS-TV reported.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of the town about 120 miles southwest of Chicago but many residents who heard the explosions and saw a fireball left without being told.
"I heard one explosion," Cynnandra Luttrell told the Chicago TV station. "It sounded like a gunshot kind of, but louder. I know there [were] several, but I only heard one of them."
About 800 people were evacuated. By late morning, police were allowing people temporarily living away from the derailment to return.
The Iowa Interstate train derailed on the edge of Tiskilwa just after 2 a.m. The train had two engines and 100 cars, 60 of them carrying flammable ethanol.
Several of the tank cars ruptured.
"The biggest fear was -- there were 60 cars hauling alcohol on that train, so I think that the fear was that the fire could have escalated," said Les Grant of the Bureau County emergency management agency.
The county set up a temporary shelter at Princeton High School in the county seat.
