CN fuel cars derail, explode west of Edmonton

[blondebeaker]

A CN Rail train carrying liquefied petroleum gas and crude oil has derailed and exploded about 80 kilometres west of Edmonton, prompting an evacuation in the tiny community of Gainford

Comments

[blondebeaker]

So far I haven't heard if my Brother has had to. He was the only one home at the time. He said one of his friends was walking home from his mother's when the blast happened and the shock wave knocked him flat on his ass.

[svtstarlight]

Any idea what company was running the train or where the LPG and crude came from? The company my dad works for does health and safety inspections and investigations in the oil and gas industry (out of Edmonton, oddly enough), so I wonder if he's going to be sent out to this, if he hasn't already.

Not surprised at the fact that nothing has been done with regards to safety, even given what's been going on. The federal gov't has been in the pockets of the big producers and big industry for YEARS and don't care about the little guys who may be affected by anything that happens. (you really don't want to know how many trucks roll over every week that nobody ever hears about *coughs* and that's just in Alberta alone... Still haven't heard a peep in the news about a rollover that dumped a shitload of stuff into one of the lakes near Banff, and that happened about 3-4 years ago, iirc.)

[blondebeaker]

I have no clue who the company was running or where the crude came from. It might come out soon if it hasn't already.

My dad works in the oil industry, as a heavy machine operator, and has been in it off and on since the 70's (its the reason why I was born in Ab and my siblings are not lol) and yeah he seen some insane shit over the years. Would not surprise me if our dad's crossed paths once or twice actually.

[svtstarlight]

It wouldn't surprise me either - my dad seems to know EVERYBODY. (no joke) It's kind of scary, and really embarrassing. LOL (csb: I was going to a wedding with a friend from high school, and her dad came to pick me up and suddenly my dad appears. Her dad stops and looks at him, then goes 'Oh hi, Boss-man!'. It turned out that her dad and mine used to work together in the 70s and we didn't even know it. *dies of embarrassment all over again*)

He's been in the industry since the 70s as well, doing various things, but he's been a health and safety executive for over 20 years now. He goes all over the place doing seminars and stuff. (he was just in Mexico about a month or so ago.

[blondebeaker]

My Dad is one of those guys who knows everyone and everyone knows him, lol I've had people, after telling them my full name, go "Holy shit you must be Reg's kid." way too often. Mostly when I was housekeeping at a hotel in Grande Prairie. Which is awesome but also scary sometimes.

But I love the fact that my dad, if he thinks something could possible hurt/kill a person on a job, he will raise hell, and he's called more than a few people "a brainless fuckass" for it too. Even walk from a job.

And still get call backs from the company later on and get good references from the very people he's told off.

[shortsweetcynic]

:(

i hope everyone's okay.

[spiritoftherain]

Oh, fucking hell! Didn't this already happen in Quebec?!

[blondebeaker]

Yup, Lac Magnatic (sp?) That one was right downtown. Thankfully this was only on the outskirts, I think. I live in Ontario right now so my knowledge of the area is not that great.

[spiritoftherain]

Goddamn. How much more are Canadians going to take of this deregulating, oil-loving government? How much worse could it have been in British Columbia if Christie Clark had let the tankers through?

Such fucked up times in Canada right now, even with what's going on with the US. I'm really angry about this.

[romp]

me too..but you know what happens if you get in the way of corporations