Train derails in central Saskatchewan and catches fire; village being evacuated

WADENA, Saskatchewan – A Canadian National Railway Company freight train has derailed in central Saskatchewan in Canada and has caught fire.

The Saskatchewan government said Tuesday the derailment happened near the small community of Clair, which is being evacuated.

A highway has been closed in the area.

It was not immediately clear what the train was carrying, but provincial officials say hazardous materials crews were en-route.

CN spokesman Jim Feeny says there are no reports of any injuries.

A witness told a local radio station that the flames are at least 30 meters (100 feet) high. Pictures from the scene suggest the derailment took place in a sparsely populated area. They show black smoke billowing high into the sky.

An oil train exploded and killed 47 people in Quebec last year.