Frequent derailments involving at least 1,000 gallons of hazardous materials happen in the U.S. nearly every two months. Close to half require evacuations, and a significant number ignite fires or explosions, leaving many local communities underprepared for the next incident.

A catastrophic collision between a cargo ship carrying toxic materials and a tanker laden with jet fuel has ignited fires that continue to rage in the North Sea. With one crew member still missing and concerns mounting over environmental impacts, authorities are investigating the cause of the accident off the coast of Hull.