Canada Derailment Forces Community Evacuation
A small Canadian community was forced to be evacuated from its houses after a train had been derailed in Saskatchewan. However, the evacuation order was lifted later on.
Investigators are looking for the cause behind the derailment involving 26 out of 100 freight cars. Those were derailed around one kilometre away from the Saskatchewan community on Tuesday morning. Six freight cars had hazardous material in those while a couple of those burst into flames, CBC News reported. No one, nevertheless, was hurt even though people had to evacuate from their houses due to the smoke and flames coming out of the scene. A CN spokesperson said that some of the cars had materials like caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and petroleum distillates.
Some photographs taken at the scene indicate that the incident took place around one kilometre away from Clair. It was a flat area with hardly any trees around. The level crossing had warning signs. On the other hand, no other vehicle has been reported to be involved in the derailment. An eyewitness of the explosion said that he and his cousin had seen a flash of light. They were apparently driving near the scene when the incident took place. He said that the flash of light had hardly made any sense until they saw the smoke. It was then that they realised that there was an explosion or a fire.
According to the local fire chief, the evacuation order was lifted for the resident of the Saskatchewan community consisting of around 50 people. The Globe and Mail reported Wadena fire chief Harold Narfason confirming that the small fire which was still burning was out. The farms surrounding the community has also been given green signal to go back home. Narfason said that there was no risk to the public any more.
CN spokesman Jim Feeny earlier said that rail crews had worked throughout the night. "We've cleared the last of the derailed cars off the track and we have now begun to rebuild the track," Feeny said. "We expect to have the line back in operation later today."
So far, no possible cause has been suggested by the Transportation Safety Board.
Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au