CNN Breaking: More than 200 Killed, 350 Injured, in Rail Accident in Iran

[VolcanoJen]

Still developing... will edit to post link when more is known.

CNN Reporter said the accident occurred in northeastern Iran.

ON EDIT:

Matthew Chance, CNN Correspondent in Iran to cover the upcoming elections, on phone from Tehran; paraphrased:

Initial reports indicate that more than 200 people were killed when a runaway train derailed, packed with industrial products such as fertilizer and petrol. It came off the tracks and crashed into a populated area. Rescue workers and firefighters are on the scene. Eyewitnesses report a huge explosion. No foul play is suspected at this time.

ON SECOND EDIT:

Link:

200 dead in train explosion (The Australian)

MORE than 200 people were killed and 350 others injured Wednesday when runaway rail wagons loaded with sulphur, petrol and fertiliser derailed and exploded in northeast Iran, the state news agency IRNA reported.

"Five villages were destroyed. The number of the people killed in this incident is more than 200," the head of disasters in Khorassan province, Vahid Barakchi, was quoted as saying.

"The level of this is massive and beyond our preliminary assessments. Our rescue workers workers are trying to remove more than 350 injured people to hospitals in Mashhad and Neyshabour."

"The explosion happened at a time when the firefighters and the rescue workers were trying to put out the fire," the official said.

"A number of the firefighters and local villagers were killed in the explosion."

The massive blast occurred near the town of Neyshabour, and was heard in the regional centre of Mashhad some 75km away, IRNA said.

[Newsjock]

1. No sign of foul play

CNN and BBC and both quick to suggest that the circumstances -- runaway train, old equipment -- suggest an accident and not a bomb.

(Woulda beat you to the post, but I tried to call work first. Too late; everybody had already left.)

[La_Serpiente]

2. How awful

the massive earthquake in Bam and now this?

[krkaufman]

4. Doesn't bode well for the government

Horrible. I gotta believe that these incidents will help to loosen the ruling clerics' grip on power.

[Newsjock]

3. Off the wire

AP-ME GEN IRAN TRAIN EXPLOSION

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - A train carrying fuel and industrial chemicals exploded in northeastern Iran, killing more than 200 people and injuring hundreds more, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

About 300 people were injured in the explosion, when the freight train, hauling sulpher, fuel oil and other industrial chemicals blew up outside the city of Neyshapur in Iran's Khorasan province, IRNA reported.

[Fla_Dem]

5. And yet, still nobody

has blamed Bush for this ?

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

6. It sounds like you are

What's your rationale?

[Flagg]

7. the freeper trolls must be in heaven

they rejoice whenever muslims and French people die

[parkia00]

8. Freepers Rejoice!

Just like they did when the Bam quake hit and the stampede in Mecca. Their comments were unhuman and their celebratory hoops and jeers just shows the true people that they are.

"Compassionate Bigots?"