Another Canadian Freight Train Derails in Alberta, No Injuries

A Canadian National Railway Co. train carrying lumber and sulfur dioxide derailed in the Western Canadian province of Alberta on Sunday, but there were no injuries or spills of dangerous goods, a spokesman for the railway said.

Rail safety has become a central issue in Canada since a runaway Montreal, Maine and Atlantic train carrying crude oil exploded in the center of the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic in July, killing 47 people.

And Sunday’s derailment comes just two weeks after another Canadian National Railway train carrying crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas derailed and caught fire in Alberta. That crash caused no casualties.

The train that derailed on Sunday was traveling eastbound near the hamlet of Peers, Alberta, which is about 110 miles (177 km) from the provincial capital of Edmonton, when 13 freight cars went off the tracks at about 1 a.m. local time.

Twelve of the cars were carrying lumber, the railway said, while one was a dangerous-goods tanker car carry sulfur dioxide, a toxic gas.

A spokesman for Canadian National said the dangerous-goods car was upright and not leaking and there were no environmental concerns or threats to the public.

“The crews are on site and the cause of the derailment last night remains under investigation,” Patrick Waldron said