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Beavers may be responsible for fatal train derailment in northern Manitoba

An aerial view of the train derailment near Ponton, Man. is seen on Sept. 15, 2018 in this handout photo. A Transportation Safety Board investigator says beavers may have contributed to the train derailment in northern Manitoba that left one railway worker dead and another injured. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Transportation Safety Board of Canada *MANDATORY CREDIT*. The Canadian Press / Transportation Safety Board of Canada

THOMPSON, Man. – A Transportation Safety Board investigator says beavers may have contributed to the train derailment in northern Manitoba that left one railway worker dead and another injured.

The train went off the tracks on a washed-out trestle bridge in a swampy area south of Thompson on Saturday evening.

Jerry Berriault, the board’s regional senior investigator, says the train was travelling around 40 km/h when it met with the washed-out piece of track.

The lead locomotive went off the track bringing along two locomotives behind it and four rail cars.

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First responders have said the two workers were trapped inside the train for hours.

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Berriault, who was on site west of Ponton for two days investigating, says there was high water in the area and signs of beaver activity.

The train has also been leaking diesel fuel into the Metishto River.

Manitoba Sustainable Development says the fuel is from one of the locomotives. The province says spill recovery equipment is being used to clean up the fuel at the site.

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