Transportation minister orders speed restrictions after fiery derailment

GUERNSEY, Sask. – Transportation Minister Marc Garneau has announced speed restrictions on trains carrying dangerous goods after a derailment in Saskatchewan caused a dozen tankers carrying crude oil to catch fire.

Garneau says the ministerial order will come into effect Friday at midnight, but the government is asking it be implemented immediately.

Emergency crew respond to CP Rail train hauling crude oil that derailed near Guernsey, Sask. on Monday, December 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

It will require trains with 20 or more cars with dangerous good to reduce speeds to no more than 40 km/h.

It will stay in effect for the next 30 days.

Garneau says he is very concerned about the derailment near Guernsey, roughly 115 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon.

It’s the second derailment involving oil on the same stretch of track near the community since December.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Feb. 6, 2020.