4 April 2007
CPR Train Derailment Shakes Up the Pass
Crowsnest Pass Alberta - Gene Cervo thought he was going
to get caught in another Frank Slide yesterday.
About 7:45 a.m. he heard a loud crash - so loud, he said, it shook his whole house in the Crowsnest Pass.
That crash turned out to be 14 cars of a 41-car, two-locomotive CP Rail train derailing about 20 metres away.
"It sounded like the Frank Slide was coming down," he said.
Cervo said his biggest concern was that tanker cars were involved.
"I gathered up everybody in my family, and told them to pack their bags, because we're out of here," he said.
"But then the conductor hollered to me that they were empty."
Bellevue fire Chief Guy Desaunoy said the derailment occurred within a rock cut.
"They just piled on top of each other," he said.
Sgt. Scott Howard said several of the cars had been carrying dangerous goods, but were empty at the time of the derailment.
A small amount of lime was leaking from two cars, but wasn't expected to have any environmental impact.
CP Rail is investigating.
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