Passengers walk 2 kms. along tracks after train catches fire near Ottawa

[Automation Gallery]

Unbelievable.

By The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - At least 13 people were treated for minor injuries Sunday after trudging about two kilometres to escape a burning locomotive near Ottawa.

More than 300 passengers were evacuated after the engine of a Via Rail passenger train caught fire near Richmond, Ont., at about 8 p.m. ET.

The passengers had to walk about two kilometres along the tracks and several required treatment for bug bites, allergic reactions and some minor bumps and bruises.

Once at the nearest road, the passengers from the Toronto-to-Ottawa train boarded buses to take them to Ottawa.

Ottawa police Const. Alain Boucher said it "didn't appear to be a very big incident, although there were many people."

He added the "operation went well."

Paramedics also treated the two engineers at the scene for smoke inhalation and Boucher said they did not require hospitalization.

The train left Toronto at 3:35 p.m. ET and was scheduled to arrive in Ottawa just after 8 p.m. ET.

 

[nfitz]

What's so unbelievable? Passenger engines on the corridor have certainly caught fire before. No injuries other than a few bug bites, or a sprained ankle ...

Unfortunate, sure ... but unbelievable?

 

[waterloowarrior]

the problem was that they were in the middle of nowhere... the location was somewhere around here

 

[yin_yang]

What's so unbelievable? Passenger engines on the corridor have certainly caught fire before. No injuries other than a few bug bites, or a sprained ankle ...

Unfortunate, sure ... but unbelievable?

exactly what i though...total let-down.

 

[Kitsune]

Imagine if that happened somewhere in BC or Northern Ontario.... now that would be quite the hike.

 

[afransen]

Was Keith on that train? He mentioned being delayed on Sunday.

 

[kEiThZ]

I was on the train after it. They made us get off at Smiths Falls and then take buses in to Ottawa. Instead of arriving at 1140, we arrived in Ottawa at 1am. And with most passengers unable to take transit at that hour, it took forever to get cabs. However, I will give credit to VIA's staff who did the best they could given the circumstance.

There were a lot of crabby people who started grumbling about VIA's reliability on my train because all they told us was that a train broke down on the track between Smiths Falls and Ottawa. There was no mention of a fire or anything. And then they kept us in the train for an hour waiting for an hour while we waited for buses, which led to everyone becoming cranky.

I have to say though I was more disappointed in the bitchiness of my fellow passengers than VIA's service. I have to say that it was good to find out though, that there was an actual reason behind the event not a plain old mechanical malfunction.

 

[EnviroTO]

Isn't an engine going up in flames the ultimate mechanical malfunction?

 

[andomano]

Isn't an engine going up in flames the ultimate mechanical malfunction?

No. Ask Sarah Connor about what is.