Nation Digest: Woman Killed in Railroad Tank Car Fire

ILLINOIS

Woman Is Killed When Railroad Cars Explode

Railroad tank cars holding thousands of gallons of highly flammable ethanol derailed and exploded in flames in Illinois, killing a 41-year-old woman as she tried to run to safety from a car stopped at a crossing.

Three other people also ran from the car when it was bombarded with flying railroad ties, and they were hospitalized after being severely burned by flaming ethanol, Rockford Fire Chief Derek Bergsten said.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from homes near the explosion.

Eighteen tank cars, all filled with ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, derailed Friday on the edge of Rockford, about 80 miles northwest of Chicago. The wreckage burned through the night, but the fire was extinguished by Saturday evening.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Robert Sumwalt said investigators wouldn't speculate about what may have caused the derailment. A thorough investigation could take a year, he said.

-- Associated Press

Gunmen Storm Denny's, Killing 1: A restaurant employee in Albuquerque was killed Saturday when several armed people attempted a takeover-style robbery at a packed Denny's, police said. Police spokeswoman Nadine Hamby said "multiple" armed suspects rushed the restaurant about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. A female employee was shot and killed. Hamby said the details were sketchy because detectives had more than 60 witnesses to interview.

Red Panda Triplets Are Born at Zoo: The Red River Zoo in North Dakota has welcomed a rare new set of red panda triplets. The two females and one male were born June 11 at the zoo in Fargo. Zoo executive director Paula Grimestad said triplets are rare for red pandas and are especially welcome because the animals are considered endangered. The zoo's panda keeper, Marcy Thompson, said it has been 10 years since the last Chinese red panda triplets were born in the Western Hemisphere.

-- From News Services