Destroyed beaver dams blamed for train derailment, fuel spill into Ottawa River
Last Updated: Thursday, June 4, 2009 | 5:11 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Related
The train that derailed near Mattawa, Ont., Wednesday caused more than 15,000 litres of fuel to spill into the Ottawa River. (CBC) The destruction of three beaver dams is being blamed for a train derailment that caused more than 15,000 litres of fuel to spill into the Ottawa River Wednesday, according to the company that owns the train.
A spokeswoman for Ottawa Valley Railway said the train went off the tracks when it reached a remote area near Mattawa, Ont. — 60 kilometres east of North Bay, Ont. — at around 3 a.m. Wednesday.
The train encountered 200 metres of washed-out tracks and two locomotives and six cars went off the tracks, said officials.
A board spokeswoman with the Transportation Safety Board said one of the cars ended up in the river, causing the fuel spill.
The destruction of three beaver dams caused flooding that derailed the train, (CBC)It was not immediately clear how the beaver dams had been destroyed.
Officials said the train's two-person crew suffered minor injuries.
Three investigators from the Transportation Safety Board were sent to the scene to determine whether the agency will launch an investigation.
Share Tools
Latest Ottawa News Headlines
- New mom among dead in Aylmer triple stabbing
- A young mother, her mother and another man, who all lived together in the Gatineau, Que., suburb of Aylmer, were found stabbed to death in their home, police say. more »
- Canadian woman continues tweeting her way to the top of Everest
- Sandra Leduc is taking a second run at Mount Everest's summit after a deadly storm forced her back down the mountain and killed four others on Sunday. The Canadian lawyer and government worker is tweeting her progress along the way. more »
- Teens share bullying tales in confession booth
- Raw stories about bullying emerged when a video booth was set up inside a Quebec high school. more »
- Memorial held at Eric Leighton's high school
- A memorial is being held today at Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School where Grade 12 student Eric Leighton was killed in a shop class explosion one year ago. more »
Top News Headlines
- Quebec students to challenge Bill 78 in court
- A collective of student associations, unions and environmental groups is holding a news conference Friday morning to announce their plans to mount a legal challenge against Bill 78. more »
- Teens share bullying tales in confession booth
- Raw stories about bullying emerged when a video booth was set up inside a Quebec high school. more »
- Reclaiming the dead on Mt. Everest
- The difficulty, danger and expense of removing the bodies of climbers who died in Mount Everest's "death zone" mean most of the dead remain on the mountain as a stark reminder to other climbers of the risks. more »
- Foreign investment review threshold rising to $1 billion
- The federal government is raising to $1 billion the amount of foreign money that can go into a Canadian company before the investment is reviewed. more »
Most Viewed/Commented
- New mom among dead in Aylmer triple stabbing
- Gatineau police to question suspect in multiple homicides
- Birds attack Ottawa joggers
- Woman pinned between forklifts in Ottawa warehouse
- Teens share bullying tales in confession booth
- Ottawa race weekend road closures
- Double-lung recipient Hélène Campbell dances for joy
- Victim named in Queensway rollover crash
- G20 police illegally arrested journalists, used gay slur
