Iran Train Derails and Explodes; 200 Killed

Runaway train cars carrying a lethal mix of fuel and chemicals derailed Wednesday, caught fire and exploded, killing more than 200 people and apparently leaving dozens trapped beneath crumbled mud homes.

Many of those reported dead were firefighters and rescue workers who had extinguished most of the blaze when the cars exploded. The blast occurred outside Neyshabur, an ancient city of 170,000 people 400 miles east of the capital, Tehran.

The dead also included several top city officials who had gone to the site of the derailment, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. At least 400 people were injured.

The explosion devastated five villages and shattered windows six miles away.

Rescue workers, aided by cranes and floodlights, worked into the night, shrouded in toxic fumes as they searched for dozens of people thought to be trapped.

Authorities were investigating what caused the 51 cars to roll out of a nearby train station. They traveled about 12 miles to Khayyam, where 48 of the cars derailed and caught fire. Firefighters reportedly had extinguished 90% of the blaze when the cars exploded.