LONGUEUIL, Quebec — Eight cars of a Canadian National train derailed today (Thursday, Nov. 14) in suburban Montreal, releasing a cloud of a potentially hazardous material and leading to a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents as well as area schools.
The derailment occurred after 8 a.m. in the community of Longueuil, on Montreal’s south shore, the Montreal Gazette reports, resulting in a spill of hydrogen peroxide; exposure to the chemical can lead to eye and throat irritation, coughing, and sneezing. Three CN crew members were taken to a hospital as a precaution, according to a CN spokesman, who also said preliminary indications were that risks to the public are minimal. No other injuries were reported.
Residents within an 800-meter radius of the derailment were originally told to stay indoors with windows and ventilation systems closed; the CBC reports that about 4:30 p.m., that notice was lifted for the area north of the scene by authorities, based on air monitoring and wind direction. A nearby daycare center was evacuated, and students at 13 area schools were initially confined to indoors, although some began resuming normal activities as early as 10:50 a.m.
VIA Rail Canada and Exo commuter rail service, which both use the line where the derailment occurred, had operations disrupted. Service on Exo’s Mont-St.-Hilaire line remains suspended as of 8:30 p.m. ET; VIA cancelled seven trains between Montreal and Quebec City but says in an advisory on its website that it does not anticipate impacts on its operations on Friday, Nov. 15.
