The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the CN Police Service are currently investigating a train collision that occurred overnight in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Quebec. The incident took place at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Monday when a Via Rail passenger train collided with the trailers of two transport trucks.
According to Quebec provincial police, the train was carrying 124 individuals, including passengers and crew, at the time of the collision. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries resulting from the crash.
Following the collision, the Via Rail train, en route to Halifax from Quebec City, was evacuated due to a lack of heating. Passengers and staff were transported by bus to a local community center in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska in Quebec’s Lower St. Lawrence region. Subsequently, the passengers were transferred to buses to continue their journey to their final destinations.
Due to the incident occurring on a single-track portion of the railway, another train, Train 15, traveling from Montreal to Halifax was affected. Over 100 passengers from this train were transferred to buses at Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, to complete their travels.
Authorities explained that the two trucks had parked near Highway 289 but were positioned too close to the tracks. It is uncertain whether the tracks were visible or covered in snow, but the truck drivers would have needed to cross the railway to access the parking lot.
The collision resulted in damage to both the tracks and the train itself, potentially causing delays for other passenger trains. A CN spokesperson confirmed that the tracks remained closed on Monday morning, with efforts underway to contain a fuel spill resulting from the derailment.
The spokesperson reassured that there is currently no threat to public safety in connection with the incident.