Thursday, July 11, 2013

Explosion at Lac Mégantic, Québec

I have been pondering over this post for several days now.
Really at a loss for what can be said after such a horrific disaster.

I have watched the Youtube videos, listened to the television broadcasts and this morning watched the president of the company as he tried to appeal to the local population. 

The number of people unaccounted for is still extremely high
and this type of devastation is too hard to reason.



Human error seems to be what the company responsible for this disaster is stating...
The rail company based in Bangor, Maine seems to have had some issues with safety in the past.

But knowing that will not resolve the issue of all those people whose lives were lost that night. Some of the local youth were gathered at a local watering hole which was right in line for the explosion.

The trains air brakes released which turned it into a runaway train carrying crude oil and rolling out of control as it sped along the tracks heading for the downtown section of Lac Mégantic.

It seems that this has sparked a debate about pipeline transport of oil versus train transport.
But this does not seem like the time for that discussion.

It seems that the company responsible has had a hard time demonstrating compassion.
But that too is hard to know and
hopefully that will come quickly.

You can easily find overwhelming amount of video footage on this posted to YouTube.
I am not posting it.
I just want to stop and recognize the ongoing grief that these families are feeling as they continue to determine the number of lives taken by this disaster.

If you want to help then please feel free to donate to
the Canadian Red Cross

9 comments:

  1. Somehow, at the core of it, is our insatiable need for energy. We just keep using more and more and never count the cost in terms of health, life and happiness. How do the company officials live with themselves, if they cut corners on safety issues?

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  2. I thought of you when I saw this on the news. Just horrific. Incomprehensible. The video footage was terrifying! I am so very sorry.

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  3. It is a terrible disaster Donna. How awful for the families of those who were killed and the whole town that lost it's downtown core. I find the issue is not just the transportation of dangerous goods but also the fact that these rail lines were built over 100 years ago and the town grew up around them. It's too late to move the towns but it sure might be wise to move the rail lines, if possible, to more remote regions. Of course, it's as you said, the debate for a pipeline from west to east just got a whole lot stronger. Hopefully they won't be built through populated areas!

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  4. Donna when I heard about this terrible accident I immediately thought of you. I'm so sorry, it's just so hard to hear stories like this....some times there are no words to say.

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  5. I thought of you and another Quebec blogging friend immediately when I heard that on TV. I was wondering if you knew someone there and was waiting for news, so I didn't dare writing to you. But my mind is with you so often lately.

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  6. I have been keeping up with this story, and it is so horrific. I was thinking of you and wondering how close the town is to you. I can't imagine the grief the town is going through. It seems like the news is filled with young people burning up these days, from the firefighters from Arizona to the young folks in Quebec. So awful.

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  7. I have a post going up on Saturday about this Donna - it's too big for words - but we have an obligation to talk about it - loudly -
    It's completely unacceptable - and the company's response is sorely lacking.
    Thanks so much for posting this..................
    The broken hearted " other Quebecer " that Magali is speaking about................
    XOXOXO

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  8. Your post is an example of the Dalai Lama's words. Beautifully written.

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  9. I still can't get over this. Such a horrible thing to happen. It just boggles the mind that there weren't enough safety checks in place to prevent such a catastrophe. So very , very sad.

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