Train Wreck In Saskatchewan - State of Emergency Declared...

Follow-up Story

REGINA — Life is finally getting back on track in a small Saskatchewan community more than a week after a major train derailment that sparked fires, evacuations and a local state of emergency.

"It's been quite an experience. It's probably one of the worst accidents they've had caused with propane and the other chemicals," Bernard Mikolas, reeve of the RM of Spy Hill, said Tuesday. He was one of the local officials kept busy in the aftermath of the Dec. 5 derailment involving 36 of 168 cars on an eastbound freight train, on the CN Rail mainline about two kilometres southeast of Spy Hill. Some of the damaged cars were carrying propane, plastic pellets, and benzene, which ignited and burned for several days.

Once the fires were extinguished and the risk of explosion passed, the state of emergency was lifted Friday morning. But the road near the crash site remained closed Tuesday as a precaution while the clean-up, which involves heavy equipment, continued.

"There will be just the wreckage to cut up and haul away — so that should be done shortly." Mikolas said the bone-numbing cold was making some of the work a challenge.

While trains were originally being rerouted around the crash site, they're now back on the regular line.

 wonder if their EOT fell off the coupler and fouled in the tracks causing this?

Being serious did anyone die?

Not even any injured.  It's under investigation, of course.