CN Rail is investigating after a 45-car train derailed Sunday in Repentigny, north of Montreal.
Repentigny police said officers were called to the scene at Le Bourg-Neuf Boulevard and Émile-Genest Street around 4:30 p.m.
No leaks, fires or injuries were reported. Railway authorities said three of the cars had previously transported diesel, but were empty at the time.
Railway investigators are expected to work throughout the day Monday to carry out dismantling and cleanup work.
Those living in the area were evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure, but in an update Sunday night, municipal officials said the scene was secure and residents could return.
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The derailment also caused a significant disruption to the power grid. As of Sunday night, more than 1,000 customers were without power, according to the Hydro-Québec outage map. As of Monday morning, power has been restored to all but a handful of customers.
In a statement on social media, Repentigny Mayor Nicolas Dufour called the derailment a “disturbing situation.”
“I thank the citizens I met on the spot for their resilience,” he added.
Le Bourg-Neuf Boulevard, between Émile-Genest and Rosalie-Cadron streets, and La Paix street, near the railway, are closed until cleanup measures are complete.
Railway investigators remain at the scene to determine the cause of the incident.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it has also deployed a team to conduct an independent investigation.
In a statement on social media, Pascale Déry, Quebec’s minister of the environment, climate change, wildlife and parks, said she and Minister of Internal Security Ian Lafrenière are monitoring the situation “very closely.”
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