The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the CN Police Service are currently investigating a train collision that occurred overnight in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Quebec. The incident took place around 1:30 a.m. on Monday when a Via Rail passenger train collided with the trailers of two transport trucks, according to Quebec provincial police.
A total of 124 individuals, including passengers and crew members, were on board the train when the collision happened. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, as confirmed by Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Audrey-Anne Bilodeau.
Subsequent to the collision, the Via Rail train, en route to Halifax from Quebec City, was evacuated due to a lack of heating. Passengers and staff were transported by bus to a nearby community center in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska in Quebec’s Lower St. Lawrence region. Via Rail representatives mentioned that the passengers have now been transferred to buses heading towards their final destinations.
Given that the derailment occurred on a single-track segment of the railway, another train (train 15) traveling from Montreal to Halifax was affected. Over 100 passengers from this train were shifted to buses at Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, to complete their journeys, according to the spokesperson.
Bilodeau explained that the two trucks had parked near Highway 289 but were positioned too close to the tracks. While it was not confirmed whether the tracks were visible or covered by snow, Bilodeau suggested that the truck drivers would have had to cross the railway to access the parking area.
The collision resulted in damage to both the tracks and the train itself, potentially leading to service disruptions for other passenger trains. A CN spokesperson mentioned in a statement that the tracks remained closed on Monday morning. Additionally, the derailment caused a fuel spill that CN personnel were working to contain.
As per the CN spokesperson, there is currently no threat to public safety arising from the incident.