Officials still assessing how much oil leaked from train derailment in Manitoba

Canadian National Railway (CN) says it is not yet aware of how much oil leaked from a train derailment that occurred in western Manitoba on Saturday, but the rail is now operable.

CN said Saturday that there was “a partial leak” of crude oil from a train derailment south of St. Lazare, Man., but that it was contained and none had reached the Assiniboine River.

Train derailment in St Lazaro, MB. 40 cars left the tracks. Cars contain oil. pic.twitter.com/FFqkwgBptj

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When asked on Sunday about how much oil spilled from the 37 cars that derailed on Saturday, and how many of the cars were leaking at the site, a CN spokesperson said that the derailment was “still being assessed.”

Alex Fournier, spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board, says investigators from the board spent Sunday at the site, but he did not have information about the amount of oil spilled.

Barry Lowes, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Ellice-Archie, Man., which surrounds St. Lazare, said that “quite a bit” of oil had spilled and there was a foul smell in the area.

CN says that no one was injured as a result of the derailment and that there was no fire reported. The cause of the wreck remains under investigation, but trains are now resuming routes along the rail line.