PRAGUE—Czech firefighters were battling a major chemical blaze in eastern Czech Republic on Friday after a freight train derailed and carcinogenic benzene from damaged tank wagons caught fire.
The derailment took place near the station in the town of Hustopeče nad Bečvou around noon local time (1100 GMT), with the fire sending thick black smoke into the air visible from a long distance. The cause of the derailment was under investigation. No one has been injured.
