Sask. train derailment: 33 cars leave track
by The Canadian Press
This marks the third time a CPR freight train has derailed in southern Saskatchewan in six weeks. No leaks reported, but contents of derailed cars unknown
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask.—A Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed in southern Saskatchewan Thursday night.
Spokeswoman Salem Woodrow said it happened about 7:30 p.m. east of Waldeck, which is about 200 kilometres west of Regina.
She said initial reports were that 33 cars were off the tracks. She didn’t know what the cars were carrying.
There were no injuries, no leaks and no evacuations.
Media reports say strong winds may have blown the rail cars off the tracks. Woodrow could not confirm that.
Environment Canada meteorologist Ron said there were thunderstorms in the area at the time.
“We haven’t had any report of extremely strong wind gusts, but they could have happened. It’s the nature of these thunderstorms, they could produce some very localized, very strong wind gusts,” Paola said.
Paola said they did get a report of a wind gust of 70 kilometre per hour in the Swift Current area, adding it may have been stronger as the storm moved east.
Pat Shields of Moose Jaw was driving by the scene.
“There were containers scattered throughout the ditch, probably a good half mile of trains derailed,” Shields told Global Saskatoon.
“It was kind of surreal, it was huge.”
Mounties said the tracks run alongside the Trans-Canada Highway, but no cars or debris from the derailment were on the road.
An officer said traffic will eventually be reduced to one lane so CPR can get in equipment to clean up the derailment.
It’s the third time a CPR freight train has derailed in southern Saskatchewan in six weeks.
On Aug. 11, a train collided with a tractor-trailer west of Caron on Monday afternoon, sending 21 empty cars and two locomotives off the tracks.
Twenty-four cars carrying asphalt, lumber and contained gasoline went off the tracks near Caron on July 16. There were no leaks, and no injuries or evacuations.
