CN crews extinguish fires at site of train wreck in New Brunswick

PLASTER ROCK, N.B. - Fires that had raged since Tuesday at the site of a CN freight train wreck in northwestern New Brunswick are finally out.

CN Rail spokesman Jim Feeny says crews made good progress overnight in extinguishing the flames, removing material from derailed cars and getting a start on repairing broken track.

However, an evacuation order remains in effect for about 150 people who live near the wreck site in the village of Wapske.

There were suggestions yesterday the evacuees could be allowed to go home by the end of the weekend, but Feeny says that decision will be up to local officials.

Yesterday a huge fireball shot into the sky as crews blasted holes in three tanker cars carrying liquefied petroleum gas to allow vapour and gas to burn off.

As for the cause of the derailment, Feeny says investigators are still looking at the possibility that a wheel or axle problem on a freight car may was to blame, but he cautioned at no conclusions have yet been reached.

”That investigation is going to take quite some time and that work is underway and we’re not really in a position to elaborate further because there’s a lot more information to find," he said Saturday morning.