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Canada, Lac-Mégantic Quebec, Maine Atlantic Railway, Montreal, Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway, Pauline Marois, Quebec, Sherbrooke, The Globe and Mail
Dear Readers,
It has been a difficult week. As you know, I no longer have a complete WordPress. I’m being helped but, until now, unsuccessfully. Fortunately, my fingers know where to go.
Quebec’s Lac-Mégantic Tragedy
On July 6th, a train transporting crude oil derailed and exploded devastating a little town of 6,000 inhabitants: Lac-Mégantic. Nearly every family in town lost a loved-one. One body, that of Éliane Parenteau Bélanger, a grandmother, has been identified. DNA samples are required because the bodies of the victims are charred and cannot otherwise be identified. Some bodies may never be found: from ashes to ashes.
Newspapers have been covering the event extensively. Every morning, the front page of my humble Tribune, Sherbrooke’s newspaper, has shown apocalyptic scenes. In fact, the bulk of the newspaper, six pages this morning, is a chronicle of the tragedy. Today it featured the worst: grief. The front page showed people hugging one another. I was about to write “ordinary people,” but that would be inappropriate. No one is “ordinary.”
Canada‘s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was on the scene shortly after the tragedy. It helped. As for Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, she was in Lac-Mégantic yesterday. This also helped. However, the very first persons to arrive in Lac-Mégantic were people carrying supplies: food, clothing, bedding. At the moment, thirty-five psychologists and social workers are in Lac-Mégantic helping the survivors, some of whom had to be hospitalized. They collapsed.
Imagine the conductor, Mr Tom Harding. He was spending the night in Lac-Mégantic and was awakened by an explosion. Ironically, the noise he heard came from his train. It had exploded. Mr Harding had stopped the train for the night and left it on a hill. It seems the brake failed. Mr Harding has already been relieved of his duties by the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway Company. This could be too hasty and insensitive a decision on the part of the Company. Mr Harding is among the victims of that tragedy.
Mr Edward Burkhardt, the Chairman of the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway Company, has now travelled to Lac-Mégantic. People have hurled insults at him. That was a rather ugly scene.
So far, the charred remains of twenty-four victims have been found, but individuals are still missing and a few persons who were presumed dead, are alive. It would appear fifty persons died.
Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sir Henry Wood’s ‘Suite No. 6’ is a set of six Bach transcriptions, arranged from various sources, that includes this heartfelt ‘Lament.’ It is the ‘Adagio’ from Bach’s ‘Capriccio on the Departure of His Most Beloved Brother’ in B-flat major, BWV 992. (YouTube video)
Related articles
- Five confirmed dead, more than 40 missing after Quebec explosions – Globe and Mail (theglobeandmail.com)
- Breakfast with the most hated man in Lac-Mégantic (macleans.ca)
- Death toll climbs to 24 after Lac-Megantic mayor lashes out at railway exec Burkhardt (globalnews.ca)
- Lac-Mégantic locals flesh out picture of a terrified train driver (theglobeandmail.com)
My partner and i admire that which you have done the following. I love your part that you say you are carrying out this to give back on the other hand would assume by every one of the comments that’s working for you at the same time. Do you have any more info on this particular?
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I thank you for your kind message. On Lac-Mégantic, there isn’t much to say anymore except that the railway company has lost its license to work in Canada, which means that many people have lost their living.
Best regards,
Micheline
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A beautiful lament for this sad time.
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That lament is particularly beautiful. It says so much. That was a sad event. People are helping, but no one can bring back wives, husbands, a grandmother, friends.
Thank you for writing dear Gallivanta.
Take care,
Micheline
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I agree they were too quick to blame mr. Harding! So sad for all concerned!
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tk,
They were too quick to blame that poor gentleman! At least one person in Lac-Mégantic is of the same opinion.
Not that he knows what happened, but he knows Mr Harding.
The vigils have begun.
Thank you for writing. That was very kind of you.
Best,
Micheline
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Micheline, I am keeping my prayers for everyone concerned. 🙂
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That’s so kind of you tk.
It looks like the people of Lac-Mégantic are not about to let anyone blame Mr Harding until the investigation is over.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I read the name of the waitress: Catherine Pomerleau-Pelletier. My grandfather was a Pelletier and he married a Pomerleau. That lady is a distant relative. One of the victims is a Pelletier.
I thank you for your note.
Micheline. 🙂
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Wow … I’m constantly amazed when the statement “it’s a small world” becomes reality. Yep, prayers keep going. You’re right that the town is strong and not giving in to anything! I love that! 🙂
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tk, it is a small world. My father is a Pomerleau-Pelletier. In the Eastern Townships, the Pomerleaus and the Pelletiers have been marrying. They have not identified my dead relative yet. His body may still be missing.
However, everything is being done to help the survivors many of whom are homeless. Some people will remain in a hotel, but big and comfortable trailers have been brought in. There will be a little trailer-park by the lake where homeless survivors can live until they have a house. As well, everyone received one thousand dollars today for immediate needs. But nothing will bring the victims back.
The Company will be investigated, including Mr Harding. However, he was not making decisions. He drove what he was asked to drive.
Thank you for writing.
Take care,
Micheline
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The trailers are a good idea; I wouldn’t have thought of that. And I can imagine that one thousand dollars can disappear fast if you need all the basics, some clothes, and then food … Do you know about how many are living in these trailers? I hope all is free for these poor people (trailers’ needs like electricity & water) and that the rooms at the motels are free as well!?
I hope you get good news about your relative … or at least some closure (it doesn’t take the pain away, but it’s better than the alternative).
Keep me post, Micheline.
Prayers are still flowing,
Therese (tk)
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