Canadian National Railway says work crew members who escaped a train car surrounded by flames on Monday near Armstrong, Ont., all got out safely.
CBC News reached CN on Wednesday about a video taken from inside the car that appears to show workers waiting for another train to cross at a meeting point. Flames could be seen through the windows of the car.
In an emailed statement, a company spokesperson said CN has also temporarily suspended rail operations in the area as a precaution due to wildfire activity.
“As a safety measure, CN employees in the area and residents of the Town of Armstrong were evacuated Monday night.”
Armstrong is among half a dozen communities under mandatory evacuations due to wildfires in northwestern Ontario. About 250 people live in the community, roughly 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
“CN remains in close contact with the Ministry of Natural Resources and local authorities as the situation continues to evolve,” the statement said. “The safety of our employees, the community and emergency responders remains our top priority.”
Footage from the train car has been widely circulated on social media, prompting calls for accountability from CN.
Kiiwetinoong NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa told CBC News that the crew member who posted the video fears reprimand, as taking videos is against company policy.
“That was the last thing that he had on his mind was company policy not to take videos,” Mamakwa said.
“He wasn’t sure if he was going to survive it.”
Mamakwa said he stands with CN workers and hopes the affected crew members receive support from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
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“We need CN to support them, not to provide those repercussions because of that video — because that was very, very unsafe in the predicament that they were in.”
CBC News has reached out to the union that represents CN Rail workers for further comment.
A statement Tuesday from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) North West Region advised people to avoid the area near Collins First Nation due to three abandoned trains.
That community has been heavily impacted by wildfire; its chief says she is awaiting confirmation that the First Nation has been “completely devastated.”
“Three trains carrying combustible and flammable materials were stopped and staged between mile markers 20 and 23 of the Allanwater Subdivision, near Collins, Ont., due to wildfire activity in the area,” said the OPP.
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“While there is no immediate threat to public safety, emergency responders and railway officials are working together to assess conditions and support ongoing safety measures.”
Nearly 150 wildfires are burning across northwestern Ontario. The province has implemented a restricted fire zone in the region, which means no open-air burning, including campfires, is allowed until further notice.
Authorities are urging community members to have essential supplies on hand, should further evacuations be necessary, and to avoid unnecessary travel.
