A Canadian National (CN) freight train derailed in a residential area of Repentigny, Quebec, on Sunday afternoon, prompting the temporary evacuation of about 200 residents.
No injuries or hazardous material leaks were reported.
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The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p. m.
in the Le Gardeur sector, near Bourg-Neuf Boulevard and Émile-Genest Street. Forty-five of the train's 176 cars left the tracks close to a local bike path.
Emergency crews, including police and firefighters, quickly secured the perimeter. CN heavy machinery arrived Monday morning to begin a multi-day clearing and cleanup operation.
Residents described hearing a loud, terrifying noise. Éric Cadotte said his family initially thought it was an airplane crash.
Amari Mohamed noted that frequent train traffic usually causes strong vibrations in the area.
Tomy-Lee Dufault, who lives in a nearby basement apartment, felt an unusual urgency when the train passed.
He fled his home after seeing overturned cars, fearing an explosion like the Lac-Mégantic disaster.
Witness Ginette Giroux reported a large cloud of black smoke. She described the scene as a horror movie, with people running and screaming.
She saw detached wheels resting on a neighboring street.
Repentigny Mayor Nicolas Dufour expressed relief that no one was hurt.
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He noted that the railway predates the neighborhood, built in the 1970s and 1980s, and that trains are required to reduce speed in urban zones.
