Rail traffic may return to the devastated eastern Quebec town Lac Megantic again this week. But he railway company that owned the train that derailed and burst into flames in July will not be hauling oil through the devastated community.
Forty-seven people died when the tanker cars belonging to the Montreal, Main and Atlantic railway exploded, levelling much of the town. The railway says it is out of the oil-hauling business.
The train derailed on July 6. It was loaded with crude oil extracted from fields in North Dakota, and was bound for refinery in St. John, New Brunswick.
Crews are continuing to haul away debris and dig up oil-contaminated soil and much of the town remains closed, but company chairman Ed Burkhardt said Monday MMA plans to resume service soon – possibly this week – on undamaged tracks on the east side of the blast site.
The area around the western end of the tracks was almost completely flattened during the explosion.
The railway has laid off 24 employees in Quebec and 64 in Maine since the explosion and has not ruled out declaring bankruptcy.
The company is still moving freight outside of Lac Megantic, but Mr. Burkhardt said it is much less.
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