Death Toll Rises After Train Explosion

People are just coming to terms with the devastation as the death toll rises in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, the Canadian town that was partially leveled when a runaway train carrying crude oil exploded over the weekend. Thirteen people are confirmed dead and dozens are missing.

CNN's Paula Newton is covering the story from the crash site.

Local officials have been blunt about what this kind of explosion would have meant for victims and warned the death toll would rise, reports Newton.

For those that are missing, forensic specialist asked victims' families for hair samples, clothing, anything to help identify loved ones.

"The homes here are always very very close to the tracks, it's always been that way," reports Newton on the trains. "Usually they're travelling between 5 and 10 miles and hour, on that night, this train was going at least between 30 and 40 miles an hour."

Police say they aren't ruling anything out, including sabotage. The big question now though – in Canada and in the U.S. – is transporting crude oil safe?