A freight train bearing a flammable liquid used in solvents derailed in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis Tuesday, causing a fire that sent thick, black smoke into the air and prompted the evacuation of nearby schools and residences. In a news release, Union Pacific says that the train derailed at its yard at about 12:45 p.m. in the town of Dupo, about 8 miles (14 kilometers) south of St. Louis. The railroad says initial information indicates that the tank car that first caught fire contains a flammable liquid called methyl isobutyl ketone that is typically used as a solvent.
