Based on coverage from CBC, The Epoch Times, Castanet, Insauga, Trains, and Railway Pro.
A CN freight train derailment in Repentigny, Que., sent dozens of railcars off the tracks Sunday afternoon, stopping rail traffic through the area and rattling a neighbourhood where tracks run close to homes. Officials say nobody was hurt, and there were no fires or spills.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has deployed investigators to find out what happened. For many locals, the timing was hard to miss: the derailment came just before the July 6 anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic disaster.
Repentigny derailment near Montreal homes
The derailment happened around 4:30 p.m. on July 5 in Repentigny’s Le Gardeur sector, a suburb about 36 kilometres northeast of downtown Montreal. Police spokesperson Sgt. Bruno Marier said 911 calls started coming in around that time.
Photos from the scene show railcars piled in a zigzag pattern, with some resting just metres from houses. Marier told Radio-Canada that fences were damaged, and CTV reported about 200 homes were evacuated as a precaution. Residents were allowed to return by about 9:30 p.m., according to CTV.
Mayor Nicolas Dufour described it as an “unsettling situation” on social media, then told Radio-Canada and The Canadian Press that people were relieved it wasn’t worse.
How many CN railcars derailed
The railcar count depends on who you ask.
CN spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis told Radio-Canada that 45 railcars derailed. The Canadian Press also reported 45 cars, and one report cited 46 railcars in the mayor’s comments. Meanwhile, Urgence-Environnement estimated between 20 and 30 cars left the tracks.
What’s consistent across reports: a large number of cars derailed in a residential area, and crews began removing cars one by one starting late Sunday.
No hazardous materials, diesel cars empty
Authorities and CN say there were no leaks, fires, or hazardous materials involved.
CN said it inspected the train and confirmed no dangerous goods were on board. Three railcars that had previously carried diesel fuel were part of the derailment, but CN said they were empty at the time. The mayor also said “all potentially hazardous materials” had been removed early in the response.
Urgence-Environnement said the situation was “stable” and that measures were being taken to protect the public and the environment.
Hydro-Québec outages and local disruptions
The derailment also disrupted power in the area. Hydro-Québec cut electricity as a precaution, affecting more than 2,600 customers in the Lanaudière region, according to one report. Another report put the outage at just over 1,000 customers at one point. By Monday morning, officials said power had been restored.
Road closures and cleanup work continued into Monday, with the mayor saying some major streets could reopen as soon as Monday evening, while rail traffic could be blocked for several more days.
TSB investigation and Lac-Mégantic echoes
The TSB says it’s gathering information and assessing the derailment, with spokesperson Hugo Fontaine confirming two investigators arrived Sunday.
Asked about the incident Monday, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette expressed sympathy for nearby residents and said the derailment inevitably recalls Lac-Mégantic. She also used the moment to press the federal government on the long-promised rail bypass around Lac-Mégantic’s downtown, saying Ottawa still hasn’t built it.
For Repentigny, the immediate next steps are straightforward: remove the railcars, repair what’s damaged, and get answers on the cause. Mayor Dufour says the city will keep residents updated, and any safety recommendations coming out of the investigation will be implemented quickly.
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