Tanker Car Continues To Burn

   A rail car fire in Northern California has become more precarious now that the propane tank that is burning is showing signs of melting and coming apart.

Fire officials said the 29-thousand-gallon tanker is at increased risk of explosion.

The fire began Tuesday (8/23) at a Northern Propane Energy yard in Lincoln, California, a city of 40-thousand people about 30 miles north of Sacramento.

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says a crack in the tanker would greatly increase the possibility of an explosion.

Firefighters have doused the tanker in water but have been unsuccessful in cooling the blaze, which forced the evacuation of thousands of homes in the area.

Officials say an explosion could cause a fireball large enough to consume blocks and fling large pieces of metal up to a half mile away.