Duluth Benzene Spill
An estimated 50,000 people evacuated to escape a cloud of benzene gas spilled during a train derailment. At 2:30 a.m. fourteen Burlington Northern railroad cars derailed eight miles south of downtown Superior; one of the cars dropped 80 feet into the Nemadji River. A tanker car erupted and spilled 30,000 gallons of liquid gas into the river. This liquid later turned to vapor and was carried off, toward both cities, on the wind. Officials sent out word: either move to higher ground or get out of town.

I went down into it to take photos, of course.

June 30, 1992