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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
April Roach

Train engulfed in huge fire as Arizona bridge collapses

Emergency services are at the scene of a huge fire and bridge collapse in Arizona.

Pictures show smoke billowing out of a train which has derailed at a collapsed bridge over Tempe Town Lake.

None of the train’s crew members were hurt but there was a report of someone suffering from smoke inhalation, said Tim McMahan, a spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.

Some of the train’s carriages carried lumber and others were tanker carriages.

Mr McMahan said he did not know what was inside the tanker carriages but that there were no reports of any leaks.

Firefighters respond to the scene of a train derailment in Tempe (AP)

Fire officials in the suburb of Tempe said the derailment happened at about 6am local time and that about 90 firefighters were at the scene.

"Several roads are restricted near Tempe Town Lake and west of downtown Tempe," said Tempe Police on Twitter. Officers urged people to avoid the area.

Witnesses shared dramatic images of the fire and thick clouds of smoke on social media.

Smoke fills the sky at the scene of a train derailment in Tempe (AP)

Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir said on Twitter the scene was "very dangerous" and urged people to stay away from the area.

Camille Kimball, who was riding her bike under the bridge before it collapsed, told CBS 5 the fire looked like "a scene from hell".

"I turned around to look and got the fright of my life," she said.

No injuries have been reported after the train derailed in Tempe, Arizona (AP)

"Now there's fire pouring into the lake from the middle of the bridge. It looks like a scene from hell, truly. A scene from hell.

"The flames are intense and the sky is filled with black smoke."

The 2.5-mile Tempe Town Lake is a popular recreation spot for jogging, cycling and boating and close to Arizona State University

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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