Police, firefighters respond to train derailment near Montreal

People in a part of Longueuil, Que. were being asked to stay indoors with their doors and windows closed on Thursday morning after a train derailed in a train yard, spilling an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide.

Police from the city just east of Montreal said it didn’t appear anyone was hurt.

The derailment happened at around 9 a.m. in the LeMoyne area, near the intersection of St-Louis and St-Georges streets.

François Boucher, a spokesman for the Longueuil police department, said police were encouraging people in the area, including students at nearby schools, to stay indoors while experts ensure the air is safe to breathe.

“It is as a preventive measure that we encourage people to really avoid exposing themselves unnecessarily,” he told reporters near the scene.

Police and fire officials were on site, as well as CN railworkers, and a large security perimeter was erected.

Officers were asking people to avoid the sector, and the normally busy Highway 116 was closed in the area.

Boucher said it wasn’t yet clear what caused the derailment.

Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said his office was in contact with officials on site and encouraged the public to follow the instructions to avoid the area.