Railway Fined $1.25 Million for Fatal Lac-Mégantic Train Explosion

The now bankrupt Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway has agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle charges stemming from the 2013 train explosion that killed 47 people in the small town of Lac-M‚gantic. The penalty includes a maximum $1 million fine for a Fisheries Act violation that occurred after crude oil the train was carrying flowed into M‚gantic Lake and the Chaudiere River. Five ex-MMA employees were also fined $50K each after pleading guilty to Railway Safety Act violations for failing to ensure the convoy was properly secured. The engineer who improperly parked the train before leaving for the night also received a 6-month prison sentence.