Shawinigan experienced significant traffic disruptions on Wednesday morning due to a train derailment that occurred the previous day around noon. The derailment involved multiple wagons that went off the tracks, leading to extensive congestion in the area.
Details of the Train Derailment in Shawinigan
According to the City of Shawinigan, the affected train wagons were removed from the tracks by 8 AM on Wednesday. The main road was reopened mid-morning, although traffic remained heavily congested. Roxanne Pellerin, spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility (MTMD), noted that one lane would stay closed temporarily under the railway overpass.
Impact on Traffic
A street cleaning crew reported difficult traffic conditions beginning at 7 AM on Wednesday. The earlier incident had caused considerable delays during peak hours on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Train derailed around noon on Tuesday.
- Two wagons lost their wheels, impacting a total of ten additional wagons.
- Roads 153 and Belgoville reopened at approximately 9 AM on Wednesday.
The Quebec-Gatineau Railway maintained that they were working closely with local emergency services to ensure public safety at all times. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in connection with the derailment.
Investigation Status
As of now, authorities have not determined the exact cause of the derailment. Further investigations will be conducted to establish what led to this incident. The situation is still developing, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
