Oil train derails near Hood River

A train towing cars full of oil derailed Friday in Oregon’s scenic Columbia River Gorge, sparking a fire that sent a plume of black smoke high into the sky. The accident happened just after noon near the town of Mosier, about 70 miles east of Portland. It involved eight cars filled with oil, and one was burning, said Ken Armstrong, state Forestry Department spokesman. Highway 84 was closed for a quarter-mile near the site, and the radius for evacuations was a half-mile. The train was operated by Union Pacific. A spokesman for the railroad didn’t immediately return calls. The company announced on June 1 it planned to invest $34.6 million this year to improve its rail lines in Oregon. Mosier is about 70 miles east of Portland. The train’s route wasn’t immediately clear/ Associated Press.

Question: Do you feel safer?