Dramatic video recorded by a train operator from inside the locomotive, and shared by Sol Mamakwa, a provincial politician from Ontario, showed a towering wall of fire as the train traversed a burning forest in Northern Ontario, Canada.
In the video, vibrant red flames repeatedly lashed the train as it was caught near the town of Armstrong, Ontario, late on 14/7. Intense blazes could be seen erupting in the brush on both sides of the railway tracks.
According to the NY Post, the orange light cast inside the train car, combined with the devastating scene outside, evoked comparisons to "hell" or an "apocalypse".
"The fire could reach us, this is starting to get a bit scary," a crew member on the train reported to the coordinator as the flames threatened to consume the front of the locomotive. "Everyone needs to come help quickly. Seriously. The fire is completely surrounding us."
"The fire is spreading very fast," the man stated over the radio while requesting assistance.
Canadian National Railway, the operator of the cargo train, confirmed that three trains carrying flammable materials had to halt in the Armstrong area due to the wildfires. All crew and personnel on board were evacuated.
The incident occurred as many areas across North America are experiencing a heat dome phenomenon, which has caused a series of severe wildfires, according to information from NASA.
 |
Inside the train amid wildfires in Northern Ontario, Canada, on 14/7. Still from video |
In Northwestern Ontario alone, officials have recorded a total of 128 active wildfires. Residents of Armstrong and the indigenous communities of Lac La Croix, Collins, Whitesand, and Lac des Mille Lacs have been ordered to evacuate.
The sky over Montreal, Canada, turned yellow on the morning of 15/7 due to smoke emanating from the fires.
More than 100 million people have received heat warnings, while temperatures in Ottawa and Toronto are forecast to reach 38 degrees C.
In the US, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz mobilized the National Guard to assist in fighting wildfires in the northern border region, adjacent to Ontario.
Vu Hoang (According to Sun, NY Post, Reuters)
