Cleanup efforts underway at site of train derailment near Emo, Ont.
CBC News | Posted: February 20, 2020 7:45 PM | Last Updated: February 20, 2020
At least three tank cars confirmed to be partially leaking crude oil
Cleanup efforts are underway after a CN Rail train carrying crude oil derailed west of Fort Frances, Ont. earlier this week.
Thirty-three rail cars went off the tracks, with three of them confirmed to be partially leaking crude oil and a fourth had a possible leak, the railway said in a Thursday statement.
CN said the leaked product has been contained and has not seeped into the ground or entered any waterways.
The incident happened on Tuesday night at the Highway 602 crossing near Emo.
Homes within 800 metres of the derailment scene had been evacuated, but residents were allowed to return on Wednesday. There is no risk to public safety, Ontario Provincial Police said.
The CN statement said site remediation will start with removing the crude oil from the ground, followed by clearing the damaged tank cars from the tracks using vacuum trucks.
The railway's environmental teams are expected to continue site cleanup for a few days.
Highway 602 remains closed in both directions, with provincial police saying there is no timeline for when it will be reopened.
The cause of the derailment is being investigated by both CN and the National Transportation Safety Board of Canada.