Just What Was In Those CN Tanker Cars? One Man's Opinion

By Ben Meisner

If you look at the picture of the CN train collision in Prince George on the weekend, you will notice in the picture taken at 10:33 am by an alert PG resident that the tank cars are still all attached to the CN train that slammed into the lumber train creating an explosion and then a fire of major proportions.

If you check the other pictures you will also see that it took some time to uncouple the tank cars from the burning trains, at least an hour and  half after the initial collision.

If you then check with what came out of the Command Post put together to protect the people of South Fort George, you will also notice that while people were being told by police to stay back one half mile from the blaze, no one was telling either the  residents or the media to inform or warn residents within 288 meters of the burning inferno that the cars behind those on fire contained hazardous products.

 We have learned that CN brass arrived on the scene with the manifest for the train of tank cars, but did not tell the, “command “post what was in them. Deputy Fire Chief John Lane says "We didn’t then or now, know what was contained in those tank cars, because they were moved away from the scene after they had been uncoupled." 

Now let’s just suppose that the fire had spread to them before a heroic effort by a CN employee to uncouple them.

What was in those cars?  We were told at first that at least one contained methanol, we also were told that the tank car that did not burn contained diesel or gasoline.

We were told that the gasoline tanker acted in the proper manner, the gas began to boil and the venting system let it burn off.

If the Transport Safety Board says we must stay at least ½ mile away from such a scene, then why didn’t someone inform police to move the crowd back? They weren’t in charge they were there doing their job (traffic and crowd control) and it was up to the ‘command “post to tell them what to do.

So  four days later,  we still don’t know what was in those other cars.  Was it hazardous?  Did it pose a risk to the people of the city and if so, to what extent?  If for example one of those cars contained propane, what would the effects be of an explosion?

Someone over at city hall had better do a bit of digging to see where the ball was dropped.

As for CN they had better change their approach which is to keep their mouth shut unless forced open by some governing body.

Ultimately the governing body is the Canadian Government, and  last time I  checked that would be "us".  We were not informed.  

With  residents and emergency personnel 288 metres  from ground zero,  cars burning and more attached,  maybe CN can tell us just when does it  no longer become a "need to know" situation?

I’m Meisner and that’s one man's opinion.  

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