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Podcasts Take Two
Analysis shows oil-train accidents have skyrocketed in last 5 years
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Jun 18, 2014
Listen • 5:39
Analysis shows oil-train accidents have skyrocketed in last 5 years
As the country ramps up domestic oil production, there are concerns over the transportation of crude across North America.
Firefighters continue to douse burning wreckage on July 7, 2013 after a freight train loaded with oil derailed July 6 in Lac-Megantic in Canada's Quebec province, sparking explosions that engulfed about 30 buildings in a wall of fire. Now scores of people -- perhaps as many as 80 -- are missing.
Firefighters continue to douse burning wreckage on July 7, 2013 after a freight train loaded with oil derailed July 6 in Lac-Megantic in Canada's Quebec province, sparking explosions that engulfed about 30 buildings in a wall of fire. Now scores of people -- perhaps as many as 80 -- are missing.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)

As the country ramps up domestic oil production, there are concerns over the transportation of crude across North America.

As the country ramps up domestic oil production, there are concerns over the transportation of crude across North America. The number of accidents involving trains carrying oil have increased dramatically in the last five years, according to a Politico report out today.

These incidents have resulted in injury and death and cause millions of dollars in damage. 

For more on problem and how the Department of Transportation is handling it, we turn to Politico's senior transportation reporter Kathryn Wolf.