Train carrying oil explodes in Quebec town A TRAIN carrying crude oil has exploded in the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic, forcing the evacuation of up to 1000 people and triggering a fire that obliterated the city centre. Several people remained unaccounted for in the town 250 kilometres east of Montreal. Frantic relatives tried to reach family members and friends living in the downtown, but authorities said they were not aware of any victims. "We're told some people are missing, but they may just be out of town or on vacation," Quebec provincial police Lieutenant Michel Brunet said. Colette Roy-Laroche, major of the town of 6000 people, said the authorities have deployed all resources possible to fight the fire, which has engulfed a large part of the city centre. "When you see the downtown of your city almost destroyed, you think how are we going to get through this," Roy-Laroche said. Police and firefighters secured a perimeter around the area, where about 30 buildings continued to burn. It was not clear what caused the derailment. Investigators with the Federal Transportation Safety Board have been called in to investigate. Authorities said the 73-car train derailed in the downtown about 1am local time on Saturday (1500 AEST). Several cars filled with crude oil exploded, sending flames and thick black smoke high into the sky. About 120 firefighters from Lac-Megantic and nearby municipalities, including several from the United States, were called in to deal with the fire. Provincial authorities also deployed a mobile environmental monitoring laboratory to monitor air quality. Authorities also worried that an unknown quantity of crude oil spilled into the Chaudiere River and Lake Megantic.