Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
2018, July 16 - a CPR train 142 derails near Saint-Polycarpe, Winchester subdivision.
| CBC News 17 July 2018 Cleanup Begins After CP Train Derails West of Montreal Saint Polycarpe Quebec - No one was hurt and no dangerous goods were spilled after a freight train derailed in Saint Polycarpe, west of Montreal, Monday evening. About 25 cars of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) train jumped the track just before 19:00 according to local fire chief Michel Belanger. The train was heading eastbound near a level crossing at de Beaujeu Road when the cars derailed. Some of the cars contained diesel and propane, but the only one that leaked was carrying vegetable oil. One of the propane tankers is at the bottom of a nearby river, according to Saint Polycarpe Mayor Jean-Yves Poirier, adding he believes it was lucky nothing caught fire or exploded. "We can't help but think about Lake Megantic when these incidents happen," he said. "Every day, all sorts of merchandise crosses through the town that then crisscrosses municipalities all over Canada. The country was built on the railway network, so we have to deal with it." Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux, speaking from the scene Tuesday morning, said it makes sense that this incident would remind people of Lake Megantic, especially since the fifth anniversary of the deadly rail disaster was two weeks ago. "Whenever we have an accident like this one, people are reminded of that horrible tragedy," he said. Investigation Underway The cause of the derailment is still unknown. A number of CP workers, including its emergency response team, are at the scene evaluating the damage to the track and cleaning up. An investigator from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is at the scene assessing the situation. Coiteux said he will wait to see what conclusions are drawn from that investigation and "if there are additional steps that have to be taken to ensure more safety of railway transportation of hazardous material, the right decisions have to be taken." It is unclear what impact the derailment will have on CP service. A spokesperson has not yet returned a request for comment. A spokesperson for VIA Rail said its service is not affected because its trains do not run on CP tracks in that area. Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois represents Saint Polycarpe, which lies about 70 kilometres from downtown Montreal. She was at the site Monday night and again Tuesday morning and says she has briefed Premier Philippe Couillard on the situation and will attend future briefings with CP. Coiteux said he has been in touch with CP to make sure the cleanup goes smoothly and is reassured that the railway is taking the situation seriously. The next step is to remove the contents of the derailed cars and cart them away without harming the environment or putting nearby residents at risk. "CP has a commercial interest in restoring this site as soon as possible, but our main concern, our immediate concern, the most important concern is that those things have to be done with the concern for the security of the people," he said Le Journal de Montreal 17 July 2018 25 wagons dans le champ, un dans la rivière SAINT-POLYCARPE Un train de marchandises a déraillé en fin de journée, lundi, provoquant un branle-bas de combat du côté de Saint-Polycarpe, en Montérégie. Selon les premières informations disponibles, jusqu'à une trentaine de wagons auraient quitté la voie ferrée à la hauteur d'un petit cours d'eau, entre le chemin Élie-Auclair et le chemin de l'Église. Selon les premières informations, le train qui circulait vers l’est a déraillé vers 18 h 50. Environ 25 wagons ont quitté la voie ferrée à la hauteur d'un petit cours d'eau, entre le chemin Élie-Auclair et le chemin de l'Église. Parmi eux, quelques-uns sont tombés dans le cours d’eau, a confirmé Michel Bélanger, directeur du service de sécurité incendie de la municipalité de Saint-Polycarpe, sans préciser le nombre exact. Le convoi de 95 wagons était composé, entre autres, de wagons-citernes avec des cargaisons de diesel ou encore de propane. «Il n’y a eu aucun déversement pour l’environnement. On a été très chanceux», a précisé M. Bélanger. Personne n’a été blessé. Des équipes du Canadian Pacific étaient à pied d’œuvre pour régler la situation le plus rapidement possible. «Ça peut se régler vite, mais on parle de plusieurs jours pour tout remettre en ordre, réparer les voies et remettre les wagons», a toutefois indiqué M. Bélanger. On aperçoit dans la photo au moins un wagon-citerne qui a sombré dans la rivière. La circulation a été perturbée pendant plusieurs heures dans le secteur. Une porte-parole du Bureau de la sécurité des transports a indiqué que l'organisme fédéral enverra un enquêteur sur les lieux de l'accident ferroviaire mardi matin. La cause de cet incident demeurait inconnue en début de nuit. La circulation ferroviaire a été arrêtée, dans les deux sens, sur cette voie qui n’accueille que des trains de marchandises. English translation from Google Translate: 25 cars in the field, one in the river SAINT-POLYCARPE A freight train derailed at the end of the day on Monday, causing a stir in Saint-Polycarpe, Montérégie. According to the first available information, up to thirty cars would have left the railway at the height of a small stream, between the Elie-Auclair road and the path of the Church. According to preliminary reports, the eastbound train derailed at about 18:50. Approximately 25 cars left the railway at a small watercourse between Élie-Auclair Road and Chemin de l'Église. Among them, some fell in the watercourse, confirmed Michel Bélanger, director of the fire department of the municipality of Saint-Polycarpe, without specifying the exact number. The 95-car convoy consisted of, among other things, tank cars with diesel or propane cargoes. "There were no spills for the environment. We were very lucky, "said Bélanger. No one was hurt. Teams from Canadian Pacific were hard at work to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. "It can be settled quickly, but we talk about several days to get everything back in order, repair the tracks and return the cars," said Mr. Bélanger. The photo shows at least one tank car sinking into the river. Traffic was disrupted for several hours in the area. A spokeswoman for the Transportation Safety Board said the federal agency will send an investigator to the scene of the train accident on Tuesday morning. The cause of this incident remained unknown at the beginning of the night. Rail traffic was stopped in both directions on this lane, which only receives freight trains. CTV News 17 July 2018 Freight train derailed in Saint-Polycarpe; no injuries A freight train derailed Monday evening in the small town of Saint-Polycarpe, in the Montérégie area. Twenty of the cars on the convoy - four of them carrying propane - came off the tracks just before 7 p.m. There were no injuries according to preliminary information obtained by the Sûreté du Québec. Police also said there were no fires or leaks from the propane cars. The town posted a message on its Facebook page, informing the public that the derailment took place at De Beaujeu Rd., between Élie-Auclair and De L'Église Rds. Part of the Elie-Auclair Rd. was closed to traffic Monday night. Saint-Polycarpe officials also said "the municipal and railway authorities are hard at work to resolve the situation as quickly as possible." The town's fire chief said the accident could have been a lot worse. Fire chief says there is no danger following train derailment in Saint-Polycarpe. The diesel fuel did not leak nor combust.. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it has been made aware of the situation and will send an investigator to the scene Tuesday. Global News 17 July 2018 No danger after freight train derails in Saint-Polycarpe near Quebec-Ontario border. Quebec’s public security minister offered assurances Tuesday that nothing leaked into a nearby river after a Canadian Pacific freight train derailment just east of the Ontario border. The Quebec Environment Department says 25 of the 95 rail cars derailed near Saint-Polycarpe on Monday night, but officials said there were no injuries or evacuations. Canadian Pacific teams were working Tuesday to re-establish traffic on the rail line, which is used to transport goods between Halifax and Vancouver Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux, who visited the site of the derailment Tuesday, said "the situation was firmly under control, there were no leaks and at no moment was the safety of the population compromised." "A rail line has to be repaired, but before everything else, the tanker cars with dangerous materials have to be emptied and then removed," he added. "These operations will be done with the maximum of precautions"in the best interests of the safety of the people who live nearby and to avoid any leaks that could damage the environment " particularly the water." Saint-Polycarpe Mayor Jean-Yves Poirier said Tuesday that one tanker car containing propane fell into the Delisle River. Four other propane tankers as well as rail cars that contained diesel fuel and vegetable oil ended up on the embankment. Fire Chief Michel Belanger told reporters that any risks were eliminated Monday evening. "There was actually no danger - either to residents or to the firefighters who intervened," he said. It’s not known yet what caused the derailment and investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were on the scene. Lucie Charlebois, the local member of the legislature who was on the scene Monday and Tuesday, said freight trains should slow down in densely populated sectors or at level crossings. "There’s still work to be done," she said. But one TSB investigator indicated Tuesday the maximum speed is 65 kilometres an hour and that the train was travelling at 55 kilometres an hour. CBC News 18 July 2018 Railway Partially Reopens After CP Derailment West of Montreal Saint Polycarpe Quebec - One of two railway tracks that runs through Saint Polycarpe has reopened after a freight train derailment on Monday, according to the local fire department. Fire Chief Michel Belanger said one of the two tracks is open for trains, which will have to travel at reduced speed in the area. Some 22 cars of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) train jumped the tracks just before 19:00 in the town about 70 kilometres west of downtown Montreal. Crews are still at the scene trying to remove the contents of the derailed cars and cart them away without harming the environment or putting nearby residents at risk. Only one car, which was carrying vegetable oil, leaked, but a propane tanker wound up at the bottom of a nearby river. No one was hurt. The cause of the derailment hasn't been confirmed. The Transportation Safety Board is investigating. |
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Updated 16 December 2019