A spectacular fire, fueled by ethanol after a tanker truck collided with a rail car, has been allowed to burn out in British Columbia, officials said Tuesday.

Residents were evacuated from a neighborhood in Port Coquitlam and a nearby highway was closed for several hours Monday night when a tanker truck containing ethanol and a rail car collided.

The collision happened in a Canadian Pacific Rail yard.

Fire Chief Nick Delmonico said a nearby mall was evacuated and as many as 300 people living across from the rail yard were asked to leave until firefighters secured the area and determined what substance was burning. The truck's tank was split open and a spark from somewhere set off a blast and fire, Delmonico said.

He said crews left early Tuesday after allowing the ethanol to burn off from the tanker.

No one was injured. Police are investigating.

Sean Meade said he saw a glow in the air as he was driving and soon realized there was a massive blaze at the rail yard.

"I saw flames shooting up from behind some rail cars," he said.

He shot video of the fire spewing smoke into the night sky. Meade said the police and fire response was quick and they evacuated the area.

Source of article click here : ABC NEWS