Crews from Canadian National Railway’s (CN) emergency services were on the scene Saturday morning of a train derailment that involved about 37 cars carrying crude oil near the community of St. Lazare, Man.
The train left the tracks at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, causing what has been reported as a “partial leak” of oil near the small, Francophone community in the Assiniboine River Valley along the Manitoba border with Saskatchewan. CN says no injuries or fires were involved in the incident and crews were onsite not long after to inspect the damage, begin cleanup efforts and begin an investigation into what caused the train to derail.
“Our environmental team is responding to start clean up, remediate the site and protect the environment,” CN said in an emailed statement to media outlets on Saturday. “A perimeter has been set up around the area to facilitate site access.”
Less than eight hours after the derailment, a pro-pipeline rally was held in Moosomin, Sask.,located about 60 kilometers southwest just across the Saskatchewan border along the Trans Canada Highway.
About 500 to 600 people attended the event, where they were told about the derailment.
During closing statements from Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson, he introduced Reeve Lowes from the St. Lazare area, who told of the derailment.
Conservative Party and Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer, Conservative Party Senator Denise Batters, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs headlined a group of about 10 speakers for the rally, which supports the construction of Canadian oil pipelines, including the currently dormant Energy East project.
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