CN workers in viral video showing train car surrounded by wildfire flames got out safely, railway says

CN rail crew: ‘We’re encased in flames at present’

canadian river subject Railway says work crew members who escaped a train car surrounded by flames on Monday near Armstrong, Ont., all got out safely.

In an emailed statement, a company spokesperson said CN has also temporarily suspended rail operations in the area as a precaution due to wildfire activity.

“As a safety measure, CN employees in the area and residents of the Town of Armstrong were evacuated Monday night."

Armstrong is among half a dozen communities under mandatory evacuations due to wildfires in northwestern Ontario. About 250 people live in the community, roughly 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

“CN remains in close contact with the Ministry of Natural Resources and local authorities as the situation continues to evolve," the statement said. "The safety of our employees, the community and emergency responders remains our top priority.”

Footage from the train car has been widely circulated on social media, prompting calls for accountability from CN.

“That was the last thing that he had on his mind was company policy not to take videos,” Mamakwa said. 

“He wasn't sure if he was going to survive it.”

Mamakwa said he stands with CN workers and hopes the affected crew members receive support from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).

Accommodations filling up as wildfires spur more evacuations in northwestern Ontario

Wildfires cause multiple evacuations in northwestern Ontario during extreme heat

“We need CN to support them, not to provide those repercussions because of that video — because that was very, very unsafe in the predicament that they were in.”

A statement Tuesday from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) North West Region advised people to avoid the area near Collins First Nation due to three abandoned trains.

That community has been heavily impacted by wildfire; its chief says she is awaiting confirmation that the First Nation has been “completely devastated.”

“Three trains carrying combustible and flammable materials were stopped and staged between mile markers 20 and 23 of the Allanwater Subdivision, near Collins, Ont., due to wildfire activity in the area,” said the OPP.

Wildfires prompt multiple evacuations in northwestern Ontario amid extreme heat

Heat wave brings temperatures of nearly 40 C to Thunder Bay on Monday

“While there is no immediate threat to public safety, emergency responders and railway officials are working together to assess conditions and support ongoing safety measures.”

Nearly 150 wildfires are burning across northwestern Ontario. The province has implemented a restricted fire zone in the region, which means no open-air burning, including campfires, is allowed until further notice.

Authorities are urging community members to have essential supplies on hand, should further evacuations be necessary, and to avoid unnecessary travel.

Reporter

---

---