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Report: 18 errors lined up to cause Quebec rail catastrophe

By Mike M. Ahlers, CNN

Updated 11:28 PM ET, Tue August 19, 2014

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An aerial photo from the Quebec Provincial Police shows the aftermath of a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/10/world/americas/canada-runaway-train/">train derailment explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec</a>, on Saturday, July 6. Quebec provincial authorities have found 20 bodies, and 30 more are missing and "most probably dead."
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – An aerial photo from the Quebec Provincial Police shows the aftermath of a train derailment explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, on Saturday, July 6. Quebec provincial authorities have found 20 bodies, and 30 more are missing and "most probably dead."
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Most of the 73-car train derailed in the center of Lac-Megantic, setting off a huge fireball that burned for 36 hours.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – Most of the 73-car train derailed in the center of Lac-Megantic, setting off a huge fireball that burned for 36 hours.
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The train explosion wiped out dozens of buildings in downtown Lac-Megantic.<br />
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – The train explosion wiped out dozens of buildings in downtown Lac-Megantic.
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Firefighting vehicles from the United States helped Canadian authorities battle the blaze in Lac-Megantic, a town of about 6,000 people 130 miles east of Montreal.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – Firefighting vehicles from the United States helped Canadian authorities battle the blaze in Lac-Megantic, a town of about 6,000 people 130 miles east of Montreal.
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Following the disaster, thick fuel spilled into the nearby Chaudiere River.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – Following the disaster, thick fuel spilled into the nearby Chaudiere River.
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Some 2,000 people were forced to flee their homes immediately after the derailment and explosion.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – Some 2,000 people were forced to flee their homes immediately after the derailment and explosion.
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A "war zone" is how Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper described the scene after viewing the destruction.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – A "war zone" is how Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper described the scene after viewing the destruction.
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Authorities have said those still missing may have been vaporized by the resulting inferno.
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – Authorities have said those still missing may have been vaporized by the resulting inferno.
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An engineer faces a criminal investigation by Canadian authorities, according to the head of the railway whose runaway train devastated Lac-Megantic.<br />
Photos: Photos: Train derailment from above
Canada train explosion from above – An engineer faces a criminal investigation by Canadian authorities, according to the head of the railway whose runaway train devastated Lac-Megantic.
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Investigators have asked fire crews to stop spraying down the wreckage to preserve as much of the remaining evidence as possible.