Verified footage filmed from inside a Canadian National Railway locomotive near Armstrong, Ontario, on Monday 13 July captures a freight train crew surrounded by fast-moving wildfire flames, as dense smoke engulfs the tracks and every cab window glows bright orange. The dramatic images illustrate the intensity of one of northern Ontario’s rapidly spreading wildfires, with visibility reduced to almost zero.
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Canadian National Railway (CN) said the locomotive was one of three freight trains brought to a halt around 32 kilometres from the remote community of Armstrong, north of Thunder Bay, after fire reached the railway corridor. The trains were carrying combustible and flammable goods, prompting the suspension of rail traffic as a precaution. All crew members were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The incident came as more than 160 wildfires burned across Ontario, forcing evacuations in several communities. The dramatic footage has renewed concerns over rail operations during extreme fire conditions, with union leader François Laporte insisting that no freight is worth risking workers’ lives.
