Canada - 47 killed as train explodes, Lac-Megantic, QC, 6 July 2013

[mysteriew]

I hope LE grabs as many photos and videos of the train fire BEFORE it rolled down the hill. There could be clues in there somewhere, as to what happened. Also, if the fire dept came to put out the fire on the engine, maybe they detached it from the other oil tanks out of fear they could overheat and ignite? IDK, lots of possibilities here.

BBM

Good point

 

[mysteriew]

Investigators in the Quebec town devastated by a massive tanker-train explosion are expanding their search for the 40 people still missing two days later.

Quebec provincial police said the official death toll, which stands at five, and missing persons list didn't change overnight.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/07/08/lac-megantic-quebec-train-explosion.html

 

[mysteriew]

Lac Megantic: Death toll rises in Quebec train derailment explosion

Ravaged site is now being treated as a “crime scene” as the railway says someone shut down a locomotive keeping the brakes on.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...ses_in_quebec_train_derailment_explosion.html

Headline is a bit misleading, confirmed dead is still at 5 and list of missing is still at 40.

 

[carbuff]

[insert by me]

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/08/lacmegantics_tragedy_is_a_most_unnatural_disaster_dimanno.html

I lived in Mississauga back at that time. Although I happened to be away, my mother and siblings were evacuated for several days. It certainly opened everyone's eyes as to the potential magnitude of rail accidents.


Regarding Lac Megantic....

When I was growing up in Montana back in the 60's, a hot box ignited a ten-mile-long grass fire before the train crew noticed. I don't recall human fatalities but several herds of cattle and near-ripe grainfields burned. You could see it for 50 or 60 miles.

 

[wfgodot]

Glad my hometown had the maintenance shop and switching yards (lived from ages 0-3 one house from 'em) as that caused most trains to move through town slowly; but mostly I'm glad that the surface grade the tracks lay upon was flat. Nothing rolling down the tracks very far. Good old Kansas.

 

[Valleyboy]

Lac-Megantic: Quebec train blast death toll rises to 13


LAC-MEGANTIC, QUE.—Eight more bodies have been found in the wreckage of the Lac-Megantic, Que., train derailment, bringing the death toll so far to 13.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...uebec_train_blast_death_toll_rises_to_13.html

The number of those pronounced dead has risen now that investigators have managed to gain better access to the zone closest to the blast.

 

[wfgodot]

Inexorable sadness.

 

[mysteriew]

Lac-Megantic: Quebec train blast death toll rises to 13


LAC-MEGANTIC, QUE.—Eight more bodies have been found in the wreckage of the Lac-Megantic, Que., train derailment, bringing the death toll so far to 13.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...uebec_train_blast_death_toll_rises_to_13.html

The number of those pronounced dead has risen now that investigators have managed to gain better access to the zone closest to the blast.

There is a lot of families out there hoping and praying.

It would be a hard position to be in. What do you pray for? Hoping and praying that your loved one wasn't there but afraid they were. And praying these aren't their loved ones remains, but afraid they aren't. Because if they were there, and these aren't their remains, their remains might not be found.

 

[LadyL]

I've been thinking about the political implications of this and they are potentially vast, especially considering the current Canadian political landscape vis-a-vis oil. I'm also wondering about the possibility that this was not only sabotage but sabotage by an oil-industry activist. I think it's more likely, though, that the fire dep't thought they were doing the right thing by shutting the engine off, thereby causing chaos. The original fire could've been started by some random idiot.

 

[SuziQ]

Railway, fire chief dispute details surrounding train’s lethal run

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...urrounding-trains-lethal-run/article13084896/

 

[mysteriew]

Railway, fire chief dispute details surrounding train’s lethal run

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...urrounding-trains-lethal-run/article13084896/

This company is really not looking good. Not only with their actions or lack of actions, but also the dance they are doing.

There was no fire, well yes there was a fire but repair was called to the scene. Well their employees did everything right, so it must have been vandals. Or the fire dept.

And it appears they haven't even had a chance yet to interview their employees (esp the one that showed up after the fire.) Or check the train engine.

My guess is that they are deathly afraid of being sued.

 

[Snoopster]

There is a lot of families out there hoping and praying.

It would be a hard position to be in. What do you pray for? Hoping and praying that your loved one wasn't there but afraid they were. And praying these aren't their loved ones remains, but afraid they aren't. Because if they were there, and these aren't their remains, their remains might not be found.

Exactly.

"The police came by and took a sample of my DNA," Boulet said, pointing to the tip of her finger. "It's not easy to talk about but we have to talk right now. People have to know about this." Given the scale of the disaster, it could be days before Marie-France's remains are found. Identifying them could take weeks or longer. It's a thought that haunts Boulet.

"I just want to be able to confirm it, I want someone to take me to her house to point to a room and say, 'That's where she is,' " Boulet said. "The unknown is the hardest part. It's the scariest part. My sister was a lovely, beautiful person and now we don't know where she is or what's left of her."

http://www.vancouversun.com/Railway+company+alleges+tampering+deadly+crash/8634136/story.html

Passing on my sincerest condolences for the townsfolk of Lac Megantic and anyone who has lost a loved one, a friend or a dear pet.
May your pain lessen over time and may you lean on each other for support. That is the strength of communities.

:grouphug:

 

[tarabull]

Rail disaster highlights need for energy strategy

Snipped.... In the absence of adequate pipeline infrastructure to support growing production in the U.S. and Canada, rail has proliferated as an attractive option for the energy sector - taking advantage of existing track and not requiring government or regulatory approvals.

...Both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific have seen the number of carloads of crude increase exponentially in the past two years.In 2012, CN shipped 30,000 carloads, up from 5,000 the year before. That number is expected to double this year. The numbers are similar for CP: 13,000 carloads last year and estimates of 53,500 in 2013. If anything, Friday's explosion showed rail comes with risks, too.Nothing, as they say in the business world, is a "zero sum game."In this case, if you push on infrastructure in one area, a strain is manifested somewhere else. The oil still gets to market and the choice that's been made is rail.

...The train that derailed in Lac-Megantic was carrying crude from North Dakota to the Irving refinery in Quebec. As things stand, 71 per cent of crude produced in the U.S. Bakken is being shipped by rail. Only 21 per cent goes by pipe.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/touch/story.html?id=8633443

 

[wfgodot]

On the whole though, I'll take the railroads. True, I'm one who was brought up around trains, so I am a bit prejudiced toward them, but with enforced safety regulations it's the safer way, on the whole, to transport. Rail calamities are memorable. But one only has to look at recent events in Arkansas and the Keystone XL debacle to see the environmental damage a pipeline break can do - though one tends to forget them when no explosions are involved nor deaths incurred.

Close call however. God bless the people of Lac-Mégantic.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Report: Railway head says train in Canada tampered with

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/09/world/americas/canada-runaway-train/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[SuziQ]

Pretty much the same reported elsewhere. But I thought this was interesting.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/07/08/lac-megantic-quebec-train-explosion.html

(snip)
Questions are also being raised about whether Canada's railways should have heightened surveillance and stricter regulations.
On Monday morning, a train was found parked on the tracks near the town of Lac-Mégantic, sitting with its doors unlocked.
CBC's Daniel Halton said the train "had been left alone for two days, its door unlocked, allowing anyone access to the control panel."

 

[matou]

Report: Railway head says train in Canada tampered with

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/09/world/americas/canada-runaway-train/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Of course. JMO

 

[matou]

Story about the engineer Tom Harding:

Lac Megantic explosion: Engineer Tom Harding ‘beside himself’ after disaster
The engineer who was the last person to conduct the train that rolled into Lac-Megantic is experiencing some tough times.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...om_harding_beside_himself_after_disaster.html

 

[mysteriew]

Pretty much the same reported elsewhere. But I thought this was interesting.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/07/08/lac-megantic-quebec-train-explosion.html

(snip)
Questions are also being raised about whether Canada's railways should have heightened surveillance and stricter regulations.
On Monday morning, a train was found parked on the tracks near the town of Lac-Mégantic, sitting with its doors unlocked.
CBC's Daniel Halton said the train "had been left alone for two days, its door unlocked, allowing anyone access to the control panel."

I admit I was kind of taken aback when I read that the engineer parked that train loaded with oil products and went to the hotel and went to bed. Meanwhile leaving one engine running.

I am old school... you don't leave your vehicle running unattended, you don't leave a dryer running and not be home. So why would you leave a train engine running, with cars loaded with fuel, and no one around to get attention if something goes wrong?

 

[matou]

Blame game over Lac-Megantic blast as train company and fire crews point finger at each other

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...as-rail-company-and-fire-crews-dispute-cause/