How many people died in the Lac-Mégantic train disaster?
47Lac-Mégantic rail disaster / Number of deaths
In the early morning of 6 July 2013, a runaway train hauling 72 tankers filled with crude oil derailed as it approached the centre of the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The tanker cars exploded and the oil caught fire, killing 47 people and destroying many buildings and other infrastructure in the town centre.
What happened in Lac-Mégantic Quebec?
In the early hours of July 6, 2013, a train carrying petroleum crude oil crashed into the centre of Lac Megantic, a small town in Quebec. The downtown core erupted in flames; 47 people perished, 2,000 people were evacuated from their homes. The tragedy marks one of the worst rail disasters in Canadian history.
Was there a train derailment in Canada?
The derailment happened on Feb. 4, 2019, when 99 grain cars and two locomotives plummeted off a bridge near Field, B.C. Three Canadian Pacific Railway employees were killed in February 2019 when 99 grain cars and two locomotives plummeted off a bridge near Field, B.C.
When was the last runaway train?
May 15, 2001 — An out-of-control freight train carrying hazardous materials rolled more than 60 miles across northwestern Ohio today before a train company worker was able to jump on board and stop the unmanned locomotive.
What are the reasons for Lac-Mégantic accident?
“The accident is a manifestation of increased crude-by-rail from Western Canada due to pipeline constraints.” Despite the evidence showing that long, heavy trains filled with oil derail more often, very little has been done to improve the safety of moving oil by rail since Lac-Mégantic.
Can you crash a train?
The train operator, railway employees and the company itself can do everything within their ability to follow all the required safety procedures, but a train accident can still happen. Mechanical failure and defective parts are more rare than other common causes of train collisions, but they do occasionally happen.