Wild Video Shows CN Rail Freight Train 'Encased In Flames' By Canadian Wildfires

A CN Rail crew found themselves in the hot seat, literally. This week at least 134 wildfires have been burning across northwest Ontario. This train found itself briefly surrounded by one of those first while stopped on the tracks, reports CBC News, capturing dramatic video of the incident. The train appears to be stopped to allow an oncoming train to pass, which it does toward the end of the video. Meanwhile, flames surround the left side of the locomotive.

"This could potentially overtake us here. This has gotten a little scary," says the crew member recording the video in the understatement of the century. As the fire moves around the front of the train, he makes a radio call saying, "OK, y'all need to hurry up here, like, seriously. We're encased in flames now." Fortunately, the fire moves quickly and barely touches the locomotive, whose body and air conditioning save the crew's lives. The short oncoming train passes, and the video ends presumably as the crew makes their escape.

A CN Rail spokesperson told Global News all employees in the area were evacuated overnight Monday.

"CN has temporarily suspended rail operations near Armstrong, ON as a precaution due to wildfire activity in the area. As a safety measure, CN employees in the area and residents of the Town of Armstrong were evacuated overnight," the spokesperson said in an email.

"CN remains in close contact with the Ministry of Natural Resources and local authorities as the situation continues to evolve. The safety of our employees, the community, and emergency responders remains our top priority."

That's all well and good, but why were these trains sent through these apocalyptic conditions in the first place? That's the question many are asking, including the Teamsters:

"We commend the courage and professionalism of our members, who kept their composure in a terrifying situation. We are relieved that nobody was hurt," said Paul Boucher, President of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference. "But make no mistake, this incident should never have happened. CN should never have sent a train down those lines. The company knows exactly how bad the situation is in that region. That fire has been raging for five weeks."

Three other trains carrying combustible and flammable materials found themselves stranded near Collins First Nation, about 20 miles west of Armstrong, due to wildfires in the area, the Ontario Provincial Police told CBC News. That entire community burned to the ground, forcing residents to grab what they could and flee by boat across Collins Lake.

Meanwhile, smoke from the Ontario wildfires has given Toronto the worst air quality in the world. Yellow skies cover the north central and northeast U.S. as well. But tell me again how greenhouse gases aren't so bad after all.