PolicyMic – by Kat RobinsonIn Lac-Mégantic, Québec, over 1,000 people were evacuated with several missing children after a train carrying over 2,000 tons of crude oil exploded in a sleepy Canadian town. Many residents are feared dead.
Early reports indicate this is the second time in two years that an oil tanker derailed, spilling massive amounts of toxic oil in the picturesque village. Both oil-tanker trains are owned and operated by Montreal Maine & Atlantic (MM Rail).
Eyewitness video and photos show the horrific 80-car train explosion that rocked the town sitting just north of the U.S. early Saturday morning, at around 1:00 a.m. EST.
The MM Rail freight train contained over 70 tank cars of crude oil, each holding up to 10,000 gallons of crude oil. Québec Provincial Police (QPP) is active on Twitter offering warnings to area residents and information on how families can report loved ones missing.
The shocking image (below right) was sent out by QPP and shows a photo of a Lac-Mégantic neighborhood utterly destroyed by the freight train explosion. The below left image shows Lac-Mégantic in its usual, pristine condition.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time this beautiful city has been damaged by an oil spill. In June 2011, an MM Rail train derailed and spilled nearly 13,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the area. While Québec firefighters were able to prevent the 2011 spill from contaminating the city’s water, Saturday’s explosion is already responsible for widespread reports of toxic water.
The U.S. based firm Rail World, Inc. owns MM Rail and operates nearly 20 rail lines throughout the world covering millions of miles of track. Canadian residents were quick to point out the U.S. connection.
American oil firms have a long history of environmental disasters, typically caused by failed safety standards. Most recently, in March 2013 an Exxon Mobil pipeline exploded in Mayflower, Arkansas.
The Red Cross is currently on-site and providing aid for Lac-Mégantic residents. Donations arenow open through the Red Cross. Hundreds of Lac-Mégantic residents are expected to be displaced from their homes as a result of this massive train derailment.
Keep checking back for continued updates on this horrific tragedy.
NEW INFO train was not manned and was ideling for a shift change 7 miles away the train started rolling downhill on its own and over turned
This came out Sunday 7-7-2013 on some news sites Mark
Interesting development, Mark. Thanks for the info. I would have guessed poor or non-existent track maintenance (still a possible factor)
As always, who cares for people if money and profits are the real issue. Canadians are paying the high price, with lives and for gasoline (avg. $5.50 gal). All because banksters want to create a global economy.
Canadians are on the Imperial gallon. Five liters to the gallon, as opposed to our four.
Very good point #1 🙂
Who decides and who allows the rail lines to be located within and near
the city limits and near a water source? Has this rail train ever loaded or
unloaded cargo in this town or is it just convenient in some way for Rail
World to go through this town and others. The towns people should
have the rail lines removed from their vicinity. though the damage has
been done royally.
Most towns built up around rail lines like this one. Fact of the matter is the rail company probably sold the land to the city that it is built on. Railroad companies often have more right to the land around the tracks than any government or persons. I almost bought land near(half mile from) tracks and found a clause that Union Pacific could reclaim the land under a 99year contract with the original land developer. I would have had to take what ever they offered as fair value or they would just take it back after taking every dollar I could muster in court fees.
Not far off from being called a “tenant” on your deed
for property you bought and paid for. Something
about this stinks.
Yep Leita, something does stink. Big business and insurance co. seems that that is how they work ya know. Just look at the WTC and how much money that they made off that. They will – big business wil – kil people, and destroy whatever they have to to make a F`n buck. Lets see if this train co. goes out of business and then goes bankrupt – just like the auto co.s and those bankers did, but still stay in business.
Go bankrupt and then open again under a new corp name.
They get to pass go and collect $200. Only in corp America.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. By design. Lets
all get rich so they have nobody to lord over. LOL
LOL 🙂
There are requirements that a number of brakes to be set when the train is stopped. This is required even on dead level ground. Will it come out that the Conductor thought the engineer set the brakes and the Engineer thought the Conductor did it?
Like mark said, it was not manned.
“Early reports indicate this is the second time in two years that an oil tanker derailed, spilling massive amounts of toxic oil in the picturesque village. Both oil-tanker trains are owned and operated by Montreal Maine & Atlantic (MM Rail).”
TWICE in TWO years?
What are the odds?
The first spill did not meet its mark – the river and the lake.
Far more likely than not.
The lake stays local and the river will go down stream and spread the dirty deads.
They are looking for the black box on the train. Hopefully, it won’t
disappear like the black boxes on the planes on the 911 inside job even though
the 911 fire fighters said they saw the boxes. The gov stated the black
boxes were destroyed. Liars.
Planes?
What ‘planes’?
Yea, I know. Planes; no planes. Just keeps going around and around.
Holograms.
Damn good ones, too.
Forgot about the Holograms. Saw some good ones in China – another
city Hologram. Even some of the people were fooled. A Jesus Hologram
in the sky will sure blow some unwitting minds. Total chaos. Like Orson
Welles radio broadcast in 1938, the martians have landed.
Oh, that’s coming alright. Along with flying saucer holograms (in addition to the real ones, to increase the apparent numbers) for the fake alien invasion.
They’ve come a long way with Project Bluebeam since its inception.
HaHaHa, that is funny Leita, thats a good one – “black box” – LOL