At least two rail tankers carrying oil burned along the Columbia River Gorge near Mosier Friday.
A 23-mile stretch of Interstate 84 was closed and evacuations were ordered after eight rail cars derailed on the Union Pacific tracks, Oregon Department of Forestry spokesman Ken Armstrong told KATU.
The fire created a large plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles as emergency crews tried to access the scene.
An ARFF truck from the Portland airport and a hazmat crew from Gresham - both 100 miles from the scene - were requested, the television station reported.
"You could feel it through the ground," resident Silas Bleakley said. "It was more of a feeling than a noise."
"The train wasn't going very fast. It would have been worse if it had been faster," Brian Shurton, a nearby business owner said.
"I am grateful to local first responders, HazMat teams, and other state agencies for doing their best to keep the community of Mosier safe," Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. "I am closely monitoring the situation and ready to make every state resource available as needed. I ask that travelers seek alternate routes away from this area until further notice. The Oregon Department of Transportation will provide continuous updates on travel conditions."
