Train, fuel truck collide in Whitecourt sending smoke and flames into the sky

A fuel truck and a train collided in Whitecourt on Friday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the crossing on Highway 43, near the junction of Highway 32 in Whitecourt shortly after 8:30 a.m.

Flames and plumes of black smoke could be seen in the sky over the crash.

Nancy Lacombe arrived at the scene moments after the crash.

“Lots of flames, like huge flames. There was fuel spilling out of the one tanker, so there were two tankers, and there was fuel on the ground so the ground was on fire. Emergency crews had just got there,” she told CTV News Edmonton. 

• In Pictures: Whitecourt derailment blaze

Police said there were no fatalities, and only minor injuries were reported.

"When we got there, the driver of the semi truck had already left. But a couple minutes later, about three or four guys had been running out of the train cars. It sounds like everyone was safe," Lacombe said.

RCMP Cpl. Matthew Howell said the crash could have been a lot worse.

"The main injury I heard of was the driver of the actual train mentioned back pain. To me, considering how big it looked, I thought the outcome was pretty good,” he said on Friday afternoon.

The public was asked to avoid the area because of the volatility of the fuel.

"Whenever something like this happens, it’s always important to listen to the responders that are there, as well as to stay back as far as possible to avoid injuries or bringing extra problems to the scene," Cpl. Matthew Howell said.

The area is expected to be closed until at least 10 p.m. on Friday, as Howell said both the highway and the rails were damaged during the crash and will require repairs.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation,

Canadian National Railway police have now taken over the investigation.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach