Million litres of crude oil released in Manitoba train derailment: TSB

WINNIPEG – Investigators say at least one million litres of petroleum crude oil were released when a freight train derailed last month on a ranch in western Manitoba.

The update from the Transportation Safety Board on Friday was the first indication of how big the Feb. 16 spill was near the small community of St. Lazare.

“The TSB work on site has been completed,” the safety board said in a news release.

Excavators work at the site of a train derailment in Manitoba. Canadian National Railway says 37 cars carrying crude left the tracks just east of the Saskatchewan border. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell

“All 35 of the damaged tank cars were examined and seven of them were selected for a more detailed examination to be conducted at a later date … to evaluate tank car performance.

“The TSB has also recovered select track components and wheel sets … which are being forwarded to its engineering laboratory in Ottawa for detailed failure analysis.”