(The following story by Ian Bailey appeared on the Globe and Mail website on August 9.)
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Canada’s transportation watchdog agency yesterday announced a full-fledged investigation into last weekend’s derailment of a Canadian National Railway train in Prince George, an incident that has fuelled new questions about the company’s safety record in British Columbia.
The Transportation Safety Board conducts only a few such investigations each year of transportation-related mishaps across Canada. In fiscal year 2005-2006, the last year for which statistics are available, investigations were launched for 79 of about 4,000 occurrences reported to the board.
But a board spokesman said yesterday that a pair of investigators on the scene in Prince George have found material that’s prompted the move to gather and analyze data for an all-out investigation. A report will then be released on the accident, which CN has blamed on errors by an unidentified employee.
“They have determined there are possibly some lessons to be learned from an investigation,” board spokesman John Cottreau said yesterday.
“An investigation would help us to further our mandate, which is to increase transportation safety.”
Mr. Cottreau declined to be more specific about what investigators have seen in Prince George. He said the officials were busy on the scene and would not be available for comment before today at the earliest.
As a rule, the independent agency launches probes only for a handful of incidents deemed significant. The Prince George case has been designated a “Class 3 occurrence.” There are five class levels.
According to board guidelines, “Class 3” means: There is a public expectation the board should independently make findings on the cause and contributing factors to the incident; there is a potential for better understanding the latent unsafe conditions contributing to a significant safety issue; a government representative requests it; or the board must do so to meet its obligations or commitments.
Mr. Cottreau said there is no specific timeline on the release of the report.
Last Saturday, two trains – one carrying lumber and the other gasoline – collided on the banks of the Fraser River, causing a spectacular fire, but no serious environmental damage to the river.
The incident came a day after CN was hit with a mix of five federal and provincial charges over a 2005 spill of 41,000 litres of caustic soda, also known as sodium hydroxide, into the Cheakamus River near Squamish. The accident killed 500,000 fish – salmon, and trout among others.
Both incidents have raised concerns about CN’s safety record. This week, B.C.’s NDP opposition called for a public inquiry.
Kelli Svendsen, a CN spokeswoman, said of the board review that “[CN] will co-operate fully with the investigation,” but would not elaborate.
She also declined comment on a lawsuit that has just been filed against CN over the 2005 Cheakamus spill by the operator of a Squamish-area fishing guiding service.
Rios Sdrakas, owner of Rivers Edge Sportfishing Outfitters Ltd., is suing CN, alleging in a statement of claim that the spill interfered with his business as a retailer of sport-fishing supplies and equipment and as a sport-fishing guide on the river by killing tens of thousands of fish. In the suit, he accuses CN of negligence.
Mr. Sdrakas is seeking damages for economic loss and loss of opportunity, an injunction to restrain CN from carrying dangerous cargo through the area, and an order to rehabilitate the river to its pre-accident condition.
Ms. Svendsen said she could not comment because the matter is before the courts, but asserted that CN has been intent, since the spill, on working with stakeholders to restore the fish populations.
The Squamish Nation is also suing CN, claiming the Cheakamus has been an important salmon-fishing river for the Squamish people for thousands of years, but since the spill they have been unable to pursue their traditional activities. They filed their claim in May.