Train derailment and spill in Longueuil leads to confinement and travel disruptions

A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.

A spokesperson with CN said no injuries were reported on-site, but three employees were transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m. in the LeMoyne area near the intersection of St-Louis and St-Georges streets and involved eight train cars, one of which was carrying hydrogen peroxide.

• IN PHOTOS: Train derails south of Montreal, confiement order issued

CN spokesperson Mathieu Gaudreault said that four of the train cars had toppled over during the derailment at the Southwark rail facility.

"Our hazard material teams have been deployed and will be reporting back to us shortly regarding next steps," Gaudreault said during a news conference.

"As of this morning, the information that we have is that hydrogen peroxide was in the rail car and created the fumes that we saw this morning."

François Boucher, a spokesman for the Longueuil police department (SPAL), said police were asking people in the area, including students at nearby schools, to stay indoors while experts ensure the air is safe to breathe.

By Thursday afternoon, the Marie Victorin School Service Centre said that the confinement measure had been lifted for most of the schools affected by the derailment.

“These schools are gradually resuming their regular activities, and the return home will take place as usual,” the centre said on social media.

Gérard-Filion school, Maurice L.-Duplessis school and Jacques-Ouellette school remain under confinement. Parents will be able to pick up their children at the end of the day.

In addition, Pierre Marcoux, who works at a daycare across the street from the train tracks, described seeing a large cloud of smoke around 9:30 a.m. He said staff immediately moved nearly 75 children to a nearby school for safety.

“We had to call all the parents. We had all the telephone numbers, and we had to call everyone to come back and pick up the kids,” Marcoux said.

Officers were asking people to avoid the sector, and the normally busy Highway 116 was closed in the area.

     A confinement order was issued south of Montreal in Longueuil after the CN Rail train derailed spilling hydrogen peroxide onto the tracks.   

Police also said there is currently no criminal element involved in the incident.

Gaudreault outlined three possible reasons for this type of derailment, including issues with the track, a problem during a manoeuvre or a mechanical problem.

However, he said the cause of the derailment is still unknown and under investigation.

"We want to make sure we don't compromise on safety so our teams, our hazardous materials officers are on site. They are taking every step to ensure public safety. As soon as we know the public is safe, we will let our partners know in Longueuil," Gaudreault said.

Moreover, the spokesperson emphasized that the risks related to the hydrogen peroxide spill are minimal based on the preliminary information.

"As of now the tracks are closed so Via Rail and EXO are not running on the track. As soon as we have the permission to go back on site and as soon as we know that the site is safe, our team will work safely to resume traffic, and we will communicate that to our partners at Via Rail and EXO so commuter trains can run as soon as possible," he added.

Train services affected 

A spokesperson for Via Rail confirmed that the derailment caused significant delays for all of the trains travelling in the region.

"Passengers on trains that were en route will be offered alternate transportation, such as buses, to reach their destinations," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Here is a list of the affected Via Rail trains:

• Train #15 Halifax-Montréal has stopped at St-Hyacinthe station.

• Train #33 Québec City to Ottawa has stopped at Saint-Bruno station.

• Train #35 Québec City to Ottawa will stop at Drummondville Station.

• Train #22 Ottawa to Québec City has stopped at Central Station, and the Montréal to Québec City section of the trip has been cancelled.

• Train #24 from Ottawa to Québec City will stop at Central Station, and the Montréal – Québec City section of the trip will be cancelled.

• Train #37 from Québec City to Ottawa is cancelled between Québec City and Montréal.

VIA Rail says it is closely monitoring the situation and will keep passengers informed through regular updates.

With files from The Canadian Press and Matt Grillo.