Lac-Megantic, Canada - Major train derailement

[Guest]

In the early hours of July 6th, a 77 car train carrying crude oil derailed in the small town of Lac-Megantic in the province of Quebec. This town is located about an hour away from the border just North of Maine.

 

Multiple explosions followed and some cars are still burning as of today (July 7th). Many agencies from Canada and from Maine responded. More than 50 are feared dead as most of the downtown area of this town of 6,000 has been destroyed.

 

Two links from www.spiq.ca

 

http://www.spiq.ca/v2/ailleurs/2013_07_0...index.html

 

http://www.spiq.ca/v2/ailleurs/2013_07_0...index.html

 

Two other links from www.zone911.com

 

http://zone911.fm93.com/actualites/incendies/item/16838-dernière-heure-série-dexplosions-au-centre-ville-de-lac-mégantic

 

http://zone911.fm93.com/actualites/incendies/item/16839-lac-mégantic-des-images-percutantes-des-décombres

 

The text is all in French, but the pictures speak for themselfs.

[Guest]

The text is all in French, but the pictures speak for themselfs.

 

They certainly do. Thanks for posting.

[hank]

Good photos!  This was overshadowed by the 777 incident.

 

tHANKs

[Bob-Ont]

'Google Translate' will help translating the text from French to English.

 

An excellent example of international co-operation where departments from Maine also responded to this incident.

[BFD190]

WOW....

[npfd801]

Rather amazing how the black car in the parking lot appears to be unscathed in the first set of spiq photos...

[e11ramfireman]

'Google Translate' will help translating the text from French to English.

 

An excellent example of international co-operation where departments from Maine also responded to this incident.

 

The area of maine this is "close" to is very remote, the closest maine department to respond had to travel apx 1/2 hour through remote maine wilderness before even hitting the canadian line and still had a 25-30 minute ride into canada to get to Lac-megantic.  The furthest to travel from the states to Lac-Megantic (I believe) was Farmington Maine, they had over 2 hour drive, almost 100 miles, and I saw pictures of their Pierce platform operating.  I believe the call to these Maine departments went out very early into the incident and I don't believe they were called to "relieve" crews that had been operating for a while, just to give you an idea of how far out aid was coming from in the early stages of this incident, it really is amazing.  

[Cyber]

WOWZAS!!!!

[jlg1875]

 

The area of maine this is "close" to is very remote, the closest maine department to respond had to travel apx 1/2 hour through remote maine wilderness before even hitting the canadian line and still had a 25-30 minute ride into canada to get to Lac-megantic.  The furthest to travel from the states to Lac-Megantic (I believe) was Farmington Maine, they had over 2 hour drive, almost 100 miles, and I saw pictures of their Pierce platform operating.  I believe the call to these Maine departments went out very early into the incident and I don't believe they were called to "relieve" crews that had been operating for a while, just to give you an idea of how far out aid was coming from in the early stages of this incident, it really is amazing.  

The spirt of brothers helping brothers is great, but if this is true, I cannot understand why a US rig would have to drive over 100 miles through the wilderness when there are many departments in Quebec that are closer that were not called. Doesn't make sense to me at all...

[Guest]

I found that weird too, but I know that in the first few hours after the crash, many larger departments in Quebec offered to send ressources to Lac-Megantic.

 

Almost all were turned down.

 

I just think they have a long standing agreement with FDs in Maine for providing mutual aid.

[Guest]

Montreal (250kms away) sent a couple of units and a chief to help with confined space rescues.

[Guest]

Gatineau (beside Ottawa) sent an engine and 5 man crew this week.  Several Ottawa firefighters also went on request, although they did not take apparatus with them.

[Guest]

I just read an internal directive that Montreal Fire Department  has been requested to assist in providing protection for the pumping operation involved in emptying the rail cars for a period of approximately THREE WEEKS.