Close X
Friday, January 10, 2025
ADVT 
National

Rail companies sued in Lytton, B.C., wildfire

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Aug, 2021 02:17 PM
  • Rail companies sued in Lytton, B.C., wildfire

A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railways caused or contributed to the wildfire that destroyed the Village of Lytton, B.C.

The B.C. Supreme Court statement of claim alleges the fire was set off by heat or sparks emanating from a CP freight train operated by CN employees on tracks owned by CN.

It says the fire started at about 4:15 p.m. on June 30, where the CN bridge crosses the Fraser River, and winds of up to 70 km/h carried the fire into Lytton, burning the town in less than two hours.

The RCMP, BC Wildfire Service and Transportation Safety Board are still investigating the cause of the fire, and neither CN or CP immediately returned a request for comment.

While court approval is needed for a class-action lawsuit, the court documents say the representative plaintiff lost her home and the graphic design company she operated out of the property in Lytton.

With temperatures nearing 50 C, the lawsuit alleges the railway companies should have know conditions were unsafe to operate and that they failed to protect the town.

The suit asks for damages to cover losses for property, housing, business income and pain and suffering.

MORE National ARTICLES

COVID vaccines still work against mutant, researchers find

COVID vaccines still work against mutant, researchers find
New research from France adds to evidence that widely used COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against a coronavirus mutant that is spreading rapidly around the world and now is the most prevalent variant in the U.S.

COVID vaccines still work against mutant, researchers find

Jody Wilson-Raybould not seeking re-election

Jody Wilson-Raybould not seeking re-election
Independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould will not seek re-election in the next federal campaign, saying in a letter to her constituents on Thursday that Parliament has become "toxic and ineffective" during her time in politics.

Jody Wilson-Raybould not seeking re-election

Canada monitoring 'whole slew' of variants: Tam

Canada monitoring 'whole slew' of variants: Tam
Tam says the Lambda variant first identified in Peru has been confirmed in 11 Canadian cases to date, but adds it's too early to know how widespread it is or what impact it could have.

Canada monitoring 'whole slew' of variants: Tam

PBO: Extending pandemic jobs program to cost $600M

PBO: Extending pandemic jobs program to cost $600M
Most of the extra spending, about $404 million, will take place in this fiscal year under the costing estimate the budget office put out today, with $174 million next year and a final $15 million the year after that.

PBO: Extending pandemic jobs program to cost $600M

Ottawa, B.C. reach deal on child-care funding

Ottawa, B.C. reach deal on child-care funding
Trudeau says the agreement stipulates Ottawa will work with the province to reach an average of $10-per-day child care in regulated spaces for children under six years old before 2027.

Ottawa, B.C. reach deal on child-care funding

Wildfire starts unrelenting in British Columbia

Wildfire starts unrelenting in British Columbia
More than two dozen wildfires sparked overnight across British Columbia and the BC Wildfire Service website shows nearly half are believed to have been caused by lightning.

Wildfire starts unrelenting in British Columbia