Train derails on McPhillips bridge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/04/2023 (916 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

McPhillips Street is closed to northbound and southbound traffic between Jarvis and Logan avenues — and might remain closed for days — after a train derailment that saw 12 cars go off the track Friday morning.

The derailment happened at the Canadian Pacific Railway train overpass over McPhillips Street at 7:47 a.m. and involves rail cars both on and off the bridge. Police and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crew members were on site Friday morning, evacuating the area and nearby businesses as a precaution. Businesses have since been allowed to reopen.

A hazardous material team and drone were used to assess the site, where it was found the cars were carrying bitumen — an asphalt oil product. The material is not hazardous and not easily flammable and there does not appear to be any leaking out of the cars, WFPS assistant chief Scott Wilkinson said.

“It doesn’t happen too frequently (in the city),” he said near the site. “And usually, because of the lower speeds and the type of rails involved, it’s usually not major. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the same.”

No one was injured. The cause of the derailment has not been released.

Roads will likely remain closed for the next few days as the Canadian Pacific Railway cleans up the site and the integrity of the bridge, which was built in 1912, is assessed.

“Our work here is essentially done. The cleanup in the bridge will be managed by CP (Rail) staff and their equipment. So, we’ll let them do their jobs,” Wilkinson said. “Again, it will require further assessment before the bridge is deemed safe to open the street.”

Ongoing maintenance and inspection of the rail structure is the responsibility of CP Rail. A spokesperson said it “regrets the inconvenience the incident has caused motorists” in an email.

A Transportation Safety Board of Canada spokesperson said it has also deployed two investigators who are currently on site who are documenting the incident.

The city is waiting for assurance that travel under the bridge is safe before reopening any roads.

“Trains continue to move over the bridge structure on tracks adjacent to those where the train derailed; however, we are working with CP to determine when travel under the bridge is advisable amid ongoing efforts to address the derailment, including the presence of heavy equipment and cranes,” city corporate communications manager David Driedger said in an email.

“The derailed train cars and debris overhanging the roadway must be removed before the roadway can be reopened.”

The specific road closure points might change in that time, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Patrol Sgt. Jay Murray said.

“We’re anticipating that McPhillips under the underpass will be closed for — it could be a number of days, we’re anticipating,” he said.

“It’s to be determined if McPhillips will be closed at Henry, or if it’s going to be at Logan on the south side, and likely we’ll have a closure at Jarvis on the north side, or that could collapse somewhat for businesses. But anticipate that that road will be closed under the underpass, and it could happen for a few days.”

The street will be reopened after the bridge assessment.

Those few days of road closures could be long ones for nearby businesses. Filipino street food spot 3M Fishball, located at 445 McPhillips St., was told by police it could open its doors at 10 a.m. The regular handful of Friday-morning customers were nowhere to be found, manager Omri Aliwales said.

“If it’s the next two days, it’s actually the weekend, right? So, I’m sure it’s going to be slowed down to 40 per cent or 50 per cent of our (customers),” he said.

The business opened in 2020 and has only recently begun to pick up steam after struggling to survive through a pandemic. He’s hoping these next few days don’t slam the brakes on that momentum.

“We’ve experienced worse,” he said.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca