A family lost their home, residents of two small towns were evacuated and thousands of gallons of oil spilled into West Virginia's Kanawha River near Mount Carbon earlier this month after a CSX train derailed. The 109-car train was transporting crude oil from North Dakota to an oil depot in Yorktown, Va. While no serious injuries have yet been reported, one person was treated for potential smoke inhalation.

It's unclear what caused the derailment and subsequent explosion that prompted an evacuation order covering a 1.5-mile radius, as well as a suspension of operations at the nearby Cedar Grove and Montgomery water treatment plants. But CSX officials and investigators quickly began working with the Red Cross and other relief organizations to address residents' needs and deploy environmental protective measures.

The incident adds to growing concerns over the railway transport of a highly volatile and flammable type of crude oil harvested in North Dakota's Bakken shale. So dangerous is the transport of Bakken oil, that trains carrying it often are dubbed "bomb trains." Despite its proven potential for disaster, extraction of Bakken oil increased from 3.4 million gallons per day in 2003 to 37.8 million in 2013. Fortunately, the US Transportation Department is responding to calls by safety advocates for tougher regulations for rail shipments of Bakken oil and other types of crude.

We here at Rail Justice support any efforts to make America's railways safer for industry workers, passengers and others affected when a derailment or other accident occurs. If you've suffered an injury or loss due to a railroad accident get medical treatment and call 888-519-RAIL to speak with a railroad liability attorney.