CN Train Collision Claims Four Crew Members

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BENTONIA, Mississippi -- Two Canadian National freight trains collided and partially derailed early yesterday, killing four people and forcing residents to evacuate dozens of nearby homes, authorities said. The victims were all believed to be crew members from the trains. Rescue teams searched the wreckage, but no other injuries were reported. The collision happened northeast of Bentonia in west-central Mississippi. CN spokesman Karen Phillips said the cause is still under investigation, and it wasn't immediately clear why the trains were on the same track. One car leaked vegetable oil and caught fire, but the flames were extinguished, said Amy Carruth, a spokesman with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.