LAC-MÉGANTIC — 2013 · Major Tragedy
The Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster
On the night of 6 July 2013 a freight train of more than 70 tank cars of crude oil, left unattended on a hill, rolled downhill after its brakes proved insufficient and derailed in the centre of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The cars exploded into a massive fire; 47 people died and much of the downtown was destroyed. The Transportation Safety Board identified many factors, including the company's weak safety culture and inadequate oversight. Three railway employees were charged with causing 47 deaths by criminal negligence, but a jury acquitted all three in January 2018. The disaster led to tighter rules on moving oil by rail in North America.
- Date
- 2013
- Place
- Quebec, Canada, Lac-Mégantic, CA
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 45.5780, -70.8840 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 6 July 2013Runaway train derails and explodes in the town centre.
- August 2014Transportation Safety Board report released.
- 2014Three railway employees charged.
- 19 January 2018Jury acquits all three defendants.
Sources
- CBC News — All 3 MMA rail workers acquitted cbc.ca ↗
- NPR — Jury acquits railroad employees in Lac-Mégantic disaster npr.org ↗
- Wikipedia — Lac-Mégantic rail disaster en.wikipedia.org ↗
- CBC News
- NPR
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.