Federal safety agency to carry out full probe of N.B. train derailment
by The Canadian Press
Transportation Safety Board will look at underlying causes of derailment in northwestern New Brunswick
PLASTER ROCK, N.B.—The federal Transportation Safety Board will conduct a full investigation into the cause of a Canadian National train derailment in northwestern New Brunswick last week.
Safety board spokesperson John Cottreau says investigators have finished gathering evidence in the community of Wapske, where 19 cars in the 122-car freight train jumped the tracks Jan. 7.
A CN spokesperson has said investigators were looking at the possibility a wheel or axle problem on a freight car was to blame, but no conclusions have been reached.
Cottreau says the safety agency will look at the underlying causes of the derailment, which resulted in the evacuation of about 150 people.
Richard Keeley, a regional director with the Environment Department, says the province is testing 50 wells for pollution and results will be reported by the provincial Health Department Jan. 14.
He says two people whose house is within 100 metres of the derailment were still unable to return home because of a spill of petroleum products on their property.
