A train has derailed in Illinois resulting in a massive fireball that sent a thick black plume of smoke into the sky.
Aerial pictures from the scene show several freight and tanker cars toppled over and multiple carriages ablaze. near Dupo, Illinois.
Residents in nearby St Louis, Missouri, said they were able to see the the smoke from their homes.
Emergency crews were fighting to keep the fire under control which broke out at 1pm local time.
Several homes in the local area have been evacuated and residents are being housed at a nearby shelter, according to reports.
Dupo Mayor Jerry Wilson said Dupo High School and a grade school were being evacuated as a precautionary measure.
St Clair County Emergency Management Agency confirmed its team was dealing with the incident, but did not specify what caused the explosion.
Dupo is a small village on the Mississippi River some 10km from downtown St Louis.
