Czech firefighters tackle large toxic train fire

A freight train carrying the highly toxic chemical benzene has derailed in the Czech Republic, sparking a huge fire.

Several tankers and a locomotive were ablaze, with firefighters from several regions and a mobile chemical laboratory deployed to the area, according to local media. A massive cloud of dense black smoke was visible for several kilometres.

Railway officials say nobody was injured in the incident, which occurred near Hustopeče nad Bečvou, 50km (31 miles) south-west of the Polish border, on Friday.

Benzene, which is a cancer-causing substance for humans, is an element present in aircraft fuel.

The train “split apart” and subsequently derailed, according to initial reports. A nearby electric substation also caught fire, killing power to the nearby town of Hustopeče.

Read more: BBC