Legal battles continue for victims of 2013 rail disaster in the eastern Quebec town of Lac-Megantic that killed 47 people and destroyed the town’s central core.
A Quebec superior court hearing began Monday in the neighbouring city of Sherbrooke to determine if victims can begin collecting millions of dollars in compensation or if the case will be further delayed.
Faced with a class-action law suit, about 25 companies accused in the tragedy have offered $431 million in compensation to victims.
However, the offer has been put on hold because Canadian Pacific Rail has refused to participate.
Canadian Pacific says it was not responsible for the accident because it handed off the oil train to the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic train carrying the oil.
CP says the case needs to be moved from a Quebec superior Court to a federal court.
Early in the morning of July 6, 2013, an unattended 73-car freight train carrying crude oil ran away and derailed near Lac-Megantic’s downtown area.
Multiple tank cars caught fire and exploded. More than 30 buildings in the town’s centre were destroyed.
Of the 39 downtown buildings still standing, 36 must be demolished because of petroleum contamination of the underlying grounds
Three Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway workers were charged with criminal negligence.
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