CN working to clean up diesel spilled in derailment

CN expects cleanup at the site of a derailment in the Montreal River area to take several more weeks.

Nine cars from a southbound freight train derailed about 130 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie on October 26 near a loading and unloading site known as Regent not far from Montreal River.

Mobile vacuum units have been working for 10 days to clean up an unconfirmed amount of diesel fuel that spilled in the derailment.

The cause of the derailment is not yet known, but CN says it has been keeping the Ministry of the Environment updated on its work plans and progress.

A CN spokesperson confirmed that one of the derailed cars was carrying diesel fuel and that some of that fuel ended up in a nearby marsh.

“The product was contained with booms and absorbent pads,” said Lindsay Fedchyshyn, in an email.

One of the train’s cars was carrying sulphuric acid but there were no leaks, said Fedchyshyn.

Train derails in Montreal River area