Close X
Monday, November 18, 2024
ADVT 
National

Evacuation lifted at train derailment site in Saskatchewan

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Oct, 2014 10:55 AM

    WADENA, Sask. - The local fire chief says an evacuation order has been lifted for residents of a small Saskatchewan community forced from their homes by a fiery train derailment.

    Wadena fire chief Harold Narfason says a small fire that was still burning is out and everyone from Clair, which has a population about 50, and surrounding farms has been given the all clear to go home.

    "There is no risk to the public now," Narfason said Wednesday morning. "There's no concerns about pollutants in the air. Everything is falling into place quite nicely."

    Narfason said the decision to lift the evacuation order was made jointly by fire, emergency response and CN officials.

    The 100-car freight train derailed Tuesday about 190 kilometres east of Saskatoon. A few of the 26 cars that left the track were carrying petroleum products and caught fire.

    Narfason said a highway nearby was still closed while workers cleared the tracks and put in new rail bed, but it was expected to reopen by 6 p.m.

    He said any product remaining in the tanker cars also needed to be removed.

    CN spokesman Jim Feeny says rail crews worked through the night.

    "We've cleared the last of the derailed cars off the track and we have now begun to rebuild the track," he said. "We expect to have the line back in operation later today."

    Environmental testing has begun and the results will be shared with authorities and residents, said Feeny, who added the Transportation Safety Board was also on site and had begun its investigation.

    When asked about a resident's concern that work had been done recently on the section of track where the derailment occurred, Feeny said maintenance happens regularly.

    "We're on the track all the time. The track was visually inspected Monday, the day before the incident, and it was found to be clear. There were no exceptions noted. The track was in safe operating condition.

    "Our maintenance forces are up and down that track on a daily basis. It's very possible somebody could have been doing something there, but we can't really draw any conclusions from that."

    Feeny said the train was going within the speed limit of 40 km/h on that section. One engineer and one conductor were on board. They were not hurt.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    TSB to release report into Lac-Megantic tragedy

    TSB to release report into Lac-Megantic tragedy
    LAC-MEGANTIC,, - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is to release its final report today on the catastrophic train derailment in Lac-Megantic in 2013...

    TSB to release report into Lac-Megantic tragedy

    No one opts outs of $29M settlement over abuse allegations at Halifax orphanage

    No one opts outs of $29M settlement over abuse allegations at Halifax orphanage
    HALIFAX - A lawyer for people covered by a $29-million class-action settlement over abuse allegations at a Halifax orphanage says no one has opted out of the deal...

    No one opts outs of $29M settlement over abuse allegations at Halifax orphanage

    Union says guards who left border post to backup RCMP were suspended

    Union says guards who left border post to backup RCMP were suspended
    EMERSON, Man. - The union representing Canada's border guards says three of its Manitoba members have been suspended without pay after leaving...

    Union says guards who left border post to backup RCMP were suspended

    TSB authorized Lac-Megantic locomotive's trip to U.S., where it was nearly sold

    TSB authorized Lac-Megantic locomotive's trip to U.S., where it was nearly sold
    MONTREAL - Canada's Transportation Safety Board is shedding light on how the locomotive from the Lac-Megantic disaster ended up at a United States rail yard where it nearly went to auction.

    TSB authorized Lac-Megantic locomotive's trip to U.S., where it was nearly sold

    Wanted B.C. man tracked down by police in Mexico, now in B.C. jail

    Wanted B.C. man tracked down by police in Mexico, now in B.C. jail
    VANCOUVER - A Vancouver-area man wanted by police for allegedly playing a role in the deaths of two associates of the notorious Bacon brothers is behind bars in British Columbia after his arrest in Mexico.

    Wanted B.C. man tracked down by police in Mexico, now in B.C. jail

    Kamloops Teachers' Union Cited For Workplace Bullying, Harassment by WorkSafeBC

    Kamloops Teachers' Union Cited For Workplace Bullying, Harassment by WorkSafeBC
    KAMLOOPS, B.C. - A teachers' union local in Kamloops has been cited by WorkSafeBC for bullying and harassment in the workplace.

    Kamloops Teachers' Union Cited For Workplace Bullying, Harassment by WorkSafeBC