Albertans remain out of homes in wake of CN derailment

More than 100 people remain out of their homes after 13 cars of aCNfreight train carrying oil and liquefied petroleum gas went off the rails near the tiny hamlet ofGainford, about 80 kilometres west of Edmonton, early Saturday morning.

The area was rocked by two explosions just after 1 a.m., rousing residents from their beds and triggering two waves of evacuation orders.

• MAP | 13 recent rail incidents across Canada

Residents will likely not be allowed to return to their homes until sometime Tuesday, despite earlier reports that the evacuation order might be lifted early Monday morning.

Emergency officialsinspected the site at midnight to determine if it was safe.

Three of the cars, each carrying pressurized liquefied petroleum gas, caught fire after the derailment.

The situation was so volatile initially that firefighters simply backed off and decided to let the fire burn itself out. The flames on one car have now ceased, leaving two others still in flames.

Crews have now been able to move the four derailed crude oil containers, which are still intact, away from the burning petroleum cars, limiting the risk of future explosions.

CN implemented a controlled burn of the propane in the derailed cars shortly before 7 p.m. MT on Sunday, Parkland officials said.

As long as we have the fire burning the gas that is being expelled from the pressure vessels, we know where that gas is and its safer just to let it flare until the product is consumed, said Parkland County Fire Chief Jim Phalen.

Speaking Saturday night, officials said it could take at least 24 hours for the fuel to burn itself out and may take up to 72 hours before residents are permitted to return home.

CN said the 134-car train was travelling to Vancouver from Edmonton at a normal speed of 35 km per hour when it derailed.

Like the sun was outside my window

CBCs Laura Osman has been speaking with displaced residents from Gainford and the surrounding area Sunday.

Taxidermist Jeanette Halls home and studio is right across the highway from where thetrain derailed.

It was hell. It was absolute, utter hell.- Gainfordresident Jeanette Hall

I woke up to something that sounded like an airplane landing on Highway 16 and the next thing you know you hear the boom boom boom of the train falling apart.

Everything lit up. Next thing you know, the curtains melted to the window and we took off running downstairs. I thought we gotta get to the basement everythings gonna blow up and then we happened to look outside and the entire front yard is on fire.

We should have died in that and we didnt. I cant explain how the house and everything didnt get burned down, she said.

It was hell. It was absolute, utter hell.

Hall said her home was seriously damaged by the heat emanating from the explosion, but has not yet gotten a report of the full extent of the damage to her property. She did manage to get her horses away safely, however.

Right now, my biggest concern is my studio, she said, adding that she had $40,000 worth of inventory in her freezers at the time of the blast. My studio is my life.

If they dont get this fixed I am going to be bankrupt. I am going to lose my business.

Hall said spent much of the day Saturday helping out friends in the area. She has also been receiving help from Parkland County staff, who even drove to a neighbouring town to fill out a prescription for her.

Now, she just wants to go home.

We walked out of there I dont have my purse, I dont have money, I have no wallet, I have no ID. I have nothing. I cant even go to the bank.

And while Hall said the proximity of the train had never bothered her in the past, she thinks it will be months before shell get another easy nights sleep.

You can watch a video she shot from her backyard by clicking below.

Parkland County Mayor RodneyShaigecsaid efforts are now being made to take care of livestock left behind when their owners were forced to leave their homes Saturday.

"Some of the residents in that area do have livestock and animals which they haven't been able to attend to so it's quite disruptive, and there are also businesses in the area that of course aren't able to operate," he said.

Shaigec told CBC News he hoped to be able to soon tell residents when exactly they can return home, but officials say it will be another 48 hours at least before the it is safe for the evacuation order to be lifted.

CN defends safety record

Investigators from both the Transportation Safety Board and from CN itself have begun their examination into the cause of the derailment.

As of Saturday night, however, both said the risk posed by the still-burning cars prevented them from getting close to the scene.

In a statement, CN said the track was tested last week as well as last month and no issues were found. It also said an inspection of the train when it left Edmonton on Friday found no problems.

Speaking Saturday night, CNs Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena apologized to the residents of Gainford for the disruption, and promised the company would get to the bottom of what happened to prevent it from happening again.

All of us at CN are very much aware of how this incident has disrupted your lives, he said. I regret this very much and again apologize for the inconvenience you are experiencing.

Vena also acknowledged this latest incident is the third high-profile derailment involving trains carrying hazardous materials within the space of a month.

Saturday's mishap occurred just two days after residents in the Alberta community of Sexsmith were forced from their homes when four CN rail cars carrying anhydrous ammonia left the rails.

That followed the derailment of 17 CN rail cars, some carrying petroleum, ethanol and chemicals, in western Saskatchewan on Sept. 25.

There were no injuries in any of the derailments.

• CN derailment in Saskatchewan caused grass fire, oil leak on Sept. 25
• CN derailment forced evacuation in Alberta on Oct. 16

Despite the cluster of derailments, a CN spokesman said rail remains a safe way to transport materials.

Given the recent cluster of derailments, Vena said it was only natural that people are asking questions about CNs safety record.

However, he said, the companys overall track record speaks for itself.

I want to make it clear we are committed to running a safe railroad. Unfortunately, accidents happen. But we are working hard to reduce them as much as we can. Last year was the safest year in CNs history.

A CN spokesman said rail remains a safe way to transport materials.

"CN's safety record has been very solid, in terms of its main track derailments last year, they were the lowest on record," said company spokesman Mark Hallman.

"The vast majority of commodities, such as dangerous commodities, that are transported from origin to destination, more than 99 per cent reach destination without any accidental release."

Chow calls for more inspections

Federal New Democrat MP Olivia Chow took issue with that assessment. She called on the federal government to take stronger action to improve rail safety.

"The latest train derailment, fire and evacuation tell the Conservative government that vague promise without a clear work plan is not enough," Chow said in an email.

She said inspections need to be increased and automatic braking systems need to be mandated. Municipalities also need to be given better information about what dangerous goods are being transported on trains.

Federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt's office issued a statement saying the federal government has invested over $100 million in rail safety and brought in tougher fines for companies that violate safety regulations.

Gainford accident affects major highway, Via route

Traffic along the Yellowhead Highway the main east-west corridor in northern Alberta, connecting Edmonton with Jasper has been rerouted while crews work to contain and manage the scene.

Vehicles are being detoured using secondary highways 765, 633 and757.

It is unknown when the highway will re-open, but will likely not be until Monday.

A CN spokesperson said it is also still unknown when the tracks, which also run a VIA rail service, will reopen.

Rail transit controversy continues

Greenpeace has spoken out in the wake of the derailment, warning accidents like the one at Gainford will become the "new normal" unless Ottawa tightens safety rules for shipping dangerous goods by rail.

The organization says more and more oil is being moved on infrastructure that's aging and wasn't designed for it in the first place.

The recent derailments come as documents obtained by Greenpeace suggest CN is considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert, B.C., in quantities matching the controversial North Gateway pipeline.

A departmental briefing note obtained under access to information laws said CN was reportedly working with Chinese-owned oil giant Nexen to examine transporting crude by rail to be loaded onto tankers for export to Asia.

CN denied it made a specific proposal for Prince Rupert, but said it will consider any such project as it comes up.

The Northern Gateway project has faced intense scrutiny and criticism and it was unclear whether the project would get the necessary approval.

There has also been intense scrutiny over shipping oil by rail following July's horrific derailment of a Montreal, Maine and Atlantic train in Lac-Mgantic, Que. The subsequent fire claimed 47 lives.