Railroad Statement on Miles-Iles River Derailment

MONTREAL, Oct. 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - On October 12, 2017, Quebec-Gatineau Railway (QGRY) freight train was operating between Boisbriand and Trois-Rivières. The train consisted of three locomotives pulling 99 cars.

At around 9 pm, 7 empty cars, which had transported cement powder, derailed. The incident occurred on a railway bridge near the Sophie-Masson bridge, which spans the Miles-Iles River between Laval and Terrebonne. Four of the seven cars were found on the banks of the river. There were no injuries and no evacuation was necessary. The cars contained no hazardous materials.

Local and government authorities were dispatched to the scene. Operations to put the cars back on track and clean the scene are currently underway. Derailed cars should be removed within the next 36 hours. The railway will remain closed to rail traffic for a minimum of 48 hours, which period will be extended or reduced depending on the time required to repair the bridge, which was damaged during the incident. Affected customers have been notified, and the railroad will work with them to minimize disruption.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.

The safety of employees and communities is the number one priority of the Quebec-Gatineau Railway. We are working with local authorities and cities to ensure a timely return to order, and we appreciate the outstanding professionalism and efforts of the first responders.

SOURCE Chemins de fer Québec-Gatineau inc