Tag Archives: NB Southern Railway

LATEST DERAILMENT: Crude oil train derails in Saint John, New Brunswick

Repost from CBC News

Minor train derailment in east Saint John leaves some uneasy

Several cars carrying crude oil slipped off the tracks but there was no spill

CBC News, Nov 06, 2015 6:17 PM AT
A minor train derailment in east Saint John on Thursday has some people concerned about what could happen should a major accident occur.
A minor train derailment in east Saint John on Thursday has some people concerned about what could happen should a major accident occur. (Timothy Pennell/CBC)

NB Southern Railway was still on scene in east Saint John on Friday, making repairs after a minor derailment.

On Thursday, three cars loaded with crude oil slipped off the tracks around 10:20 a.m.

While there was no spill, it did have some thinking about the potential for damage.

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A piece of broken track at the site of a minor train derailment in east Saint John. (Timothy Pennell/CBC)

Area resident Chris Likourgiotus said, “I think it would scare anybody having any kind of leak close to any residential or business anywhere in Canada.

“I think this is one reason why it might not be a bad idea to have Canada East pipeline.”

For some businesses next to the tracks, news of the derailment was disconcerting.

Todd Fougere owns a graphics and signs business.

“You know, you do see them time to time come through and put some new boards under and that sort of thing.   But again, I don’t know the rules and regulations so you just hope somebody is looking out,” he said.

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Environmentalist Sharon Murphy says she’s concerned about crude being stored in the middle of the city. (CBC)

However, environmentalist Sharon Murphy says trust shouldn’t have to be earned, especially since there was no consultation over storing so much crude oil in the middle of the city.

“Heaven forbid there’s an explosion, when that happens the citizens don’t have a clue what to do,” she said.

“We are working and living directly beside this very dangerous area in the city, and never were we consulted.”

NB Southern Railway says it will conduct its own investigation into the cause of the derailment.

Because this isn’t a federal line, the Transportation Safety Board will not be conducting an investigation.

The province says the severity of the derailment does not warrant its own investigation.