Fright: The lead carriage caught fire and the train was left hanging over the A85 Oban to Perth road
Precarious: The derailed train seen through trees near the Falls of Cruachan power station, by Loch Awe in Argyll
Close: The wheel of the train is seen through the branches of the trees
Investigators are today trying to establish why a train with 60 people aboard derailed and and burst into flames last night, leaving nine people injured.
The train, which was left 'precariously balanced' over a 50ft embankment, was taking 60 passengers from Glasgow to Oban when it derailed near the Falls of Cruachan in Argyll shortly before 9pm last night.
Emergency services have said that none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Police said the lead carriage caught fire and the train was left hanging over the A85 Oban to Perth road. All passengers got off safely.
Near disaster: Emergency crews attend the train derailment and fire at the Falls of Cruachan last night. The first carriage teetered over an embankment but 70 passengers managed to walk to safety
Cordon: Roads near the train derailment were closed off last night and this morning after the near-disaster
Lucky escape: Emergency services close to the scene of the derailment. Eight people were taken to hospital after the train swung out over a 50ft embankment and caught fire
Remote: The Falls of Cruachan railway station. The derailment occurred around 500 yards away
An investigation into the cause of the accident has already been launched. One theory was that the train hit a boulder on the the line.
Traumatised passengers said that if the crash had happened 100 yards in either direction, the carriage would have been sent over a sheer drop. Instead it was thought to have been supported by a metal railing.
Paul Gibson, a passenger on the train, described frightening 'balls of flame' inside the carriage.
He told the BBC: 'It felt like it was a few minutes or so, but it must have been only about 20 seconds.Bags and shelves seemed to sort of start flying across the carriage.
'And then all of a sudden on either side of us on the outside big balls of flame managed to come across us.'
Another eyewitness said he was blown by a fireball to the front of a carriage before being helped from the carriage as it swung out over the embankment.
A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said today: 'Network Rail engineers are just going on site to make the train secure.
'At this stage there is nothing to suggest any criminality.
'There are a few big boulders lying about on the railway line. Early indications are it's probably been a landslide but investigations are under way.
'There are a number of officers on scene from British Transport Police and Strathclyde Police.'
The train involved was a two-car train on the the 6.20pm Glasgow Queen Street to Oban service. The leading car derailed and caught fire, he said.
Following the crash, eyewitnesses said one man leapt from the train and helped evacuate those still on board.
Passengers, who were told to leave their belongings behind, then had to walk along the tracks to Falls of Cruachan railway station.
Other passengers were taken to Cruachan power station.
The Scottish Ambulance Service sent several vehicles from across the region and two helicopters - one owned by police and the other by the MoD - were scrambled to help with the rescue operation.
However, it is thought those injured, around eight in total, were 'walking wounded' only. They were taken to hospital in Oban and Glasgow - where one person is thought to have minor spinal injuries.
An ambulance spokesman said: 'Initially, it was thought there were about 50 casualties but it's nowhere near that.
There's quite a lot of walking wounded. There's a couple of bumps to necks and backs and things like that.'
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue sent a major incident unit from Clydebank and a heavy rescue vehicle from Easterhouse in Glasgow. Two rescue pumps from Oban were joined by a pump which services Dalmally, Inveraray and Arrochar.
Two air ambulances and a Royal Navy Sea King chopper were also involved in the rescue. This morning police confirmed eight people were injured in total.
There were warnings of rail delays until further notice. The A85, A819 and B845 roads between Taynuilt and Dalmally were closed in both directions to allow access for the emergency services. Drivers were asked to approach the area with caution.
Rowena Jay, who owns a holiday cottage at Falls of Cruachan, said the accident happened about 500 yards from the station, adding: 'The train came through more or less on time but I didn't hear the accident.
'I went up and there was an ambulance and fire crew there. I offered help and they said it was fine, everyone had been walked out.'
A spokesman for ScotRail said: 'An investigation is already under way into the cause of the incident by appropriate agencies and industry partners.'
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