LONDON, Ontario — Sparks from a CPKC locomotive’s exhaust likely triggered the fire that sent burning railcars through downtown London in April, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has concluded.
The CBC reports that the TSB has ended its investigation into the incident based on that conclusion, saying in a statement that “there is nothing that would indicate any further investigation beyond a Class 5 investigation” — one limited in scope and without a full report — “would produce any systemic safety benefits.”
The April 21 fire involved five gondola cars of used railroad ties heading for disposal and was originally investigated as arson [see “Fiery CPKC train rolls through London, Ontario,” Trains News Wire, April 22, 2024]. It took some 28 firefighters with 10 trucks to control the blaze. The fire caused an estimated C$25,000 to the railcars and C$10,000 to a building adjacent to where the train stopped so the fire could be extinguished.
The safety board told the CBC in an email that the CPKC crew “made all appropriate notifications” according to the railroad’s emergency protocols and that it would not share any other information on the incident because “any and all relevant information obtained under the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act is confidential.”
As opposed to claiming bad maintenance(even the best maintained locomotives will sometimes emmit sparks) how about calling it a lazy investigation. It’s just as plausible to have been arson as sparks, but proving that is was arson with creosote ties would be much more difficult than blaming sparks…either way no safety improvement would come from the decision.
Before you ask how it could be arson…just as easily as how are railroad freight cars always so easily covered in graffiti. Off the top of my head, it’s dark out, wear all black clothing, hide behind anything that keeps you out of site, as soon as the engines pass you by, light something on fire and toss it in one of the cars…presto, arson.
Great maintenance of locomotives
C’mon Greg. Money spent on maintenance is money no longer available for share buybacks.
Sarcasm On. Ancora could have prevented this. Sarcasm Off.