Terrifying Video Shows CN Train Crew Surrounded by Ontario Wildfire

Orange Flames Swallow The Tracks As Rail Workers Call For Help

Harrowing footage from northern Ontario shows a CN Rail crew surrounded by fast-moving wildfire flames near Armstrong, with the night sky glowing orange as fire closes in on both sides of the track.

Recorded from inside the locomotive, the clip captures one worker urgently telling dispatch that the fire could overtake them. As visibility collapses and flames race alongside the train, the crew reports that they are “encased in flames” and presses for help to arrive quickly.

The scene looks almost unreal—a steel locomotive sitting inside what appears to be a moving furnace—but this was not movie footage. It unfolded during a major wildfire emergency affecting northwestern Ontario, where advancing fires disrupted rail service and forced evacuations in several communities.

CN confirmed that the workers escaped safely and no injuries were reported. The railway also halted operations in the affected area while crews and emergency officials responded to the rapidly changing conditions.

The footage is especially unnerving because the crew cannot simply steer away from danger. A train is bound to its track, and in thick smoke the workers have limited information about what is burning ahead, how quickly the fire is moving or whether the route beyond the visible flames remains passable.

Reports from the region said multiple trains had been stopped near Armstrong as the wildfire advanced, adding another layer of concern because freight operations can include combustible cargo. The exact contents and risks differed by train, but CN’s decision to suspend movement underscored how quickly ordinary rail operations had become an emergency.

What the clip does not show is just as important as what it does: the crew eventually getting out alive. The workers’ steady radio communication, even as flames engulfed the view outside, helped turn a terrifying scene into a safe evacuation rather than a tragedy.

The video has spread widely because the images are enormous, but the reality behind them remains bigger—the crews, residents and First Nations communities across northern Ontario facing evacuation orders, dangerous smoke and an active wildfire season that can change direction in minutes.

Watch The CN Rail Crew Surrounded By Wildfire Flames

The CTV News footage captures the crew’s urgent radio call as fire surrounds the locomotive near Armstrong, Ontario.

Source: CTV News; CN Rail; Global News.