Federal transport minister orders trains to slow down after fiery crash in Sask.

Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneauis ordering that all trains carrying a significant amount of dangerous goods on federal lines slow down, in the wake of a CP crude oil train derailment in Saskatchewan this morning.

"I am very concerned about the derailments of railway cars containing dangerous goods in the past 12 months," Garneau said in a statement issued earlier today. "That is why I am issuing an immediate order to slow trains carrying significant quantities of dangerous goods on federally regulated railway tracks across Canada."

The order, which will take effect Friday at midnight,will require trains travelling through metropolitan areas to limit their speedto a maximum of 32 km/h, and40 km/heverywhere else.Before the order, trains were required to limit their speedto 64km/h in metropolitan areas, and 80 km/h everywhere else.

"This is a precautionary measure being taken today, as we are seeing similarities between this accident and other recent accidents such as weather conditions and speed," Garneau said."I have asked my officials to examine all issues related to these accidents to determine if additional safety measures will be required."

A representative from Garneau's office saidthat reducing speeds would mean there would be less of animpact if a derailment occurred and it would reduce the likelihood of railcars being punctured or exploding.

Garneau orders dangerous goods trains to slow down after crash

5 years ago

Duration 1:34

Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau spoke to reporters before Question Period today

The order was issued despite anticipated economic impacts, Garneau said.

"I cannot compromise on safety," he said.

Drone footage submitted by Philippe Gaudet shows the fiery aftermath of train derailment near Guernsey, Sask.

5 years ago

Duration 0:33

There have been no reports of injuries after a train derailed near a Saskatchewan hamlet. Emergency response says 12 of the 31 cars that derailed are on fire.

Community evacuated after Sask. spill

On Thursday morning, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency saidthe village of Guernsey, Sask., wasunder a voluntary evacuation order after the CP crash earlier in the day.

The train went off the tracks and caught fire shortly after 6 a.m. CTmore than 100 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon.

Update on status of train derailment near Guernsey, Sask.

5 years ago

Duration 1:37

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says 31 train cars derailed early Thursday near Guernsey, Sask, and 12 are on fire.

Previously, firefighters were going door to door in the village of approximately 100 people and were asking everyone to leave over smoke concerns.

The agency said 31 train cars derailed and 12 were on fire as of noon CT.

There were no injuries or fatalities, according to theSaskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

It's not known how fast the CP train was going.

Localsconcerned

In December, another CP Rail train leaked 1.5 million litres of crude oil after it derailed in the same area 10 kilometres from the last derailment.

At the evacuation centre in nearby Lanigan, people forced from their homes expressed frustration at the situation.

"Another derailment and so close to Guernsey," said Marilyn Bieber, who lives half a kilometre from the crash.

"Like, what the heck is going on?"

While no homes were immediately threatened, many people were concerned about other livestock and other animals left in the path of the smoke.

"Our neighbour has a bunch of cows and he's taking care of the neighbour's cows for the winter," said Bieber.

"He also has pigs, and he's really concerned about them. And, I mean, how do you evacuate all these pigs and cows?"

People at the centre were frustrated that no one was on site to provide any answers, or to tell them when they could go home.

Not surprisingly, people were in favour of building more pipelines to get oil off the rails.

"I don't think outside of a pipeline there is any way to address it," she said.

"I mean, the CP Rail crews actually went through not that long ago before the first accident occurred. Now we have a second one."

'Like an inferno"

It has been reported to the Transportation Safety Board thatthe train was carrying crude oil, and was travelling eastbound when it went off the tracks approximately 2.5 kilometres east of the village.

Eyewitness Kyle Brown saidhe saw a huge fire after the train derailed.

Brown was driving through the area when he saw what looked like a huge mushroom cloudin hisrear-view mirror shortly after 6 a.m. CT.

"It looks like an inferno," said Brown. "Like a war zone, really. It is pretty bad."

When he saw the explosion, Brown raced toward the area. He estimated that between 25 and30 cars were off the tracks.

Eyewitness sees massive fire after Sask. train derailment

5 years ago

Duration 0:11

A video shot by Patty Prentice shows a massive fire at the site of a train derailment near Guernsey, Sask

CP Rail confirmed itstrain derailed at about 6:15 a.m. CT, andsaid emergency responders had been sent out and the company was making initial assessments of the site.

Humboldt RCMPhave closed both lanes of Highway 16 andthe junction with Highway 20. The public is asked to stay away from the area.

Brown went to check on the train's conductor and engineerto make sure everyone was alright.

He said one of the conductors set up flares on the road to warn motorists.

Another eyewitness, Patty Prentice, was driving to work as a home-care worker when she saw the derailment. She initially thought it was a fuel truck that had driven off the road and caught fire.

She soon realized how large the conflagration was.

"I'm like, 'holy, is that hot,'" she said. "And how stupid we are to be driving by this right now."

When she got to her office, she immediately contacted the hospital in Lanigan, about 13 kilometres away from the crash site.

"I said a prayer when I saw the first fire trucks leave Lanigan," she said."We're just praying for the people that are out there taking care of this right now."