Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway says it is on the site ofthe fuel train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec to “establish aprocess for the filing and handling of claims.”
|MMA was not immediately available for additional comment on thecompany's insurance.
|According to reports, a runaway 72-car train carrying fuelderailed and exploded July 6 in Lac-Megantic, near the Maineborder. The blast destroyed dozens of buildings and has officiallykilled five people. Another 40 people are missing.
|The train was operated by the Montreal, Maine and AtlanticRailway, a unit of Chicago's Rail World Inc. that specializes inshipping crude oil by rail. The company owns 500 miles of trackserving Canada as well as Maine and Vermont.
|Edward A. Burkhardt, Rail World's president, toldReuters he expected the claims would cost “a lot ofmoney”, but that the company's insurer would be able to handle itas “in the 10 years or so we've been in business, this is the onlyserious derailment we've had.”
|The Montreal Gazette reports the city's downtown core wasalmost completely destroyed by the blast. It housed a mix ofcommercial and residential units in historic buildings.
|In a statement MMA says provincial and federal authorities havetaken over the scene to investigate the cause of the accident. Thecompany has not been able to conduct its own investigation.
|The company says it “intends to do all it can to address thedamages incurred,” and it is “willing to deal one-on-one withresidents to address their needs.”
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