“It has escaped beautiful”, according to residents near the accident

Photo TVA Nouvelles, Maxime Landry
Aerial view of the scene of the accident, Friday, in the aftermath of the derailment.

Dominique Scali

Friday, 13 October 2017 23:12

UPDATE
Friday, 13 October 2017 23:12

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Residents of Laval who live near the derailment of a train on Thursday, have the impression to be past to the brink of disaster because of the cars containing propane had just to cross the bridge.

“When I spoke to my wife on the phone, I told him : “it was a narrow escape. You would be able to pick up all alone,” ” says Dany Blais, who was still shaken Friday by the train derailment that occurred a few stones at him.

The convoy was crossing the pont Sophie-Masson to Laval to Terrebonne when the derailment took place on Thursday evening. The eight cars used in the transport of cement powder are out of the track, including four who have fallen in the ravine near the entrance of the bridge.

Photo Martin Alarie

The cars that derailed were empty, but the train also included two cars containing propane, said Geneviève Major, sergente at the Service de police de Laval.

A few moments earlier…

Fortunately, these vans to propane were the head of the train and had crossed the side of Terrebonne at the time of the derailment. There has been no leak, ” said sergente. No trace of contaminant was found in the river, according to the ministry of the Environment.

“It is certain that in the event of an accident involving propane, there is a big risk, since it is a flammable gas. Exposure to propane can also lead to problems for the health of the people, ” says Patrick Bonin of Greenpeace Canada.

“It is worrying the same, the idea that there were cars of propane,” says Carol Gauthier, who was on a visit to the home of her daughter. Like four other residents near the railway, he considers that he and his family would have been in the perimeter in danger if the derailment had occurred a few moments earlier and had given rise to an explosion.

“I have not slept all night. Do you think [the tragedy of] Lac-Mégantic, and you do scenarios “, tells the story of the Laval Ginette Vigneux.

The Cause is unknown

The cause of the derailment was not yet known on Friday. The police of Laval has rejected the thesis of an indictable offence and transferred the investigation to the ministry of Transportation (MTQ).

Friday night, four of the cars had been removed from the bridge. It is the company’s Quebec-Gatineau Railway, which operates the railroad, which belongs to the Canadian Pacific.

A rail inspection was conducted by the owner in may, according to the MTQ. “The bearing capacity of the bridge was inspected in July, so very recently. There is no problem that had been identified at that time, ” said Guillaume Paradis, MTQ.

The Canadian Pacific has not returned the calls from the Log. Quebec-Gatineau Railway has merely publish a press release.

-With Catherine Montambeault

An axle 30 m from the swimming pool

Photo Dominic Scali

Of his court, Dany Blais points to an axle dragging on the track, 30 metres from the swimming pool.

Dany Blais has had a scare Thursday night when the noise of the derailment is returned to his ears. But what was most upset, is to find an axle dragging on the track vis-à-vis its pool.

The police of Laval was not able to confirm that the train had lost an axle on Friday. But look worn out, the room seemed to have fallen of the structure of the train, assumed several residents.

Photo Dominic Scali

Only a small gap between where the axle was positioned on the land of Mr. Blais.

“When I saw it [from my yard], I said to myself : “woah ! We could do pick up in the living room, my son and me” “, he says.

“It could derail in our court, definitely,” added her daughter, Gabrielle Blais.

Height of misfortune, Mr. Blais had the intention to put the house up for sale in two weeks. “It just didn’t look,” sighed he.

She thinks to move

Photo Dominic Scali

Ginette Vigneux

“We’re going to be afraid now,” said Ginette Vigneux, home to five adults with intellectual disabilities in the family home.

Prior to the accident Thursday, is the presence of the railway near her home had never really worried.

Photo Martin Alarie

“It is sure that after the tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, we were scared a little. But [the authorities] told us that there was no hazardous material transported there, ” she says.

Now she sees the idea of moving away from any form of track, even if the derailment of Thursday, has not been hurt by it.

“He who is on high, we thank him,” she said.