LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. -- The charred, oil-splattered Jesus Christ statue that became a symbol of the deadly Lac-Megantic derailment has undergone a facelift ahead of the disaster's first anniversary.
A photograph of the statue circled the planet after a runaway train carrying volatile crude oil slammed into the Quebec town last summer and exploded.
The image shows the life-sized effigy of Christ, with arms outstretched, facing the inferno as it swallows the nearby downtown core.
The makeover comes as Lac-Megantic prepares to commemorate the first anniversary of the July 6 crash, which incinerated buildings and killed 47 people.
Auto-body shop owner Gilles Perron says he washed the crude oil from the statue and used automotive paint for its fresh golden hue.
The deacon says the 93-year-old cast-iron likeness will soon be re-installed in front of Ste-Agnes Church as part of a new monument dedicated to victims.
