(Source: Globe and Mail, September 13, 2013)
TORONTO — The mystery locomotive fire that touched off the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster was started by a broken piston in the train’s engine, sparking a series of tragic events that led to the explosive derailment in the heart of the Quebec town, according to a preliminary investigation.
Until now, the reason the engine caught fire prior to the derailment had not been known. But the results of a preliminary investigation into the burned locomotive by Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway suggest the engine had a broken piston, which caused the fire. The problem caused unburned fuel to seep throughout the engine, resulting in smoke and sparks aboard the locomotive.
Full story: Globe and Mail