By CKPG Today

Derailment

Train derailment forces evacuation of Giscome Elementary

Mar 5, 2020 | 10:29 AM

GISCOME —UPDATE Mar.5 at 5:30 P.M: Giscome Elementary will remain closed tomorrow, Friday, March 6 due to a train derailment that occurred Thursday (March 5) morning.

According to a release from the School District, staff and students from Giscome Elementary will be re-routed to Blackburn Elementary for Friday, March, 6. Buses will pick students up at their regular times and transport them to Blackburn Elementary.

Giscome students who live beyond Upper Fraser Road–which has been closed due to the derailment–will not be picked up, nor be expected to attend school. Students who attend Prince George Secondary and live beyond the road closure will not be transported by bus to and from school on March 6. As a result, students will not be expected to attend.

EARLIER:: According to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, there is now an emergency detour around the derailment site.

It’s located on the Bowron Forest Service Road, between Highway 16 and Upper Fraser Road.

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For the duration of the detour, the ministry’s local maintenance contractor, YRB, will be providing way-finding signs, patrols and basic winter maintenance to ensure the emergency detour remains safe and passable.

UPDATE: CN Rail has released a statement saying that around 20 railcars derailed in Giscome this morning.

CN addds there is no danger to public safety as there are no fires, injuries, or leaks of product.

The Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team of investigators to the scene.

The derailment has closed Upper Fraser Road though the Province is working to have a detour route available sometime this afternoon.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says it will be working with CN Rail and emergency services to clear the site as quickly as possible, though a timeline is not yet confirmed.

“The primary focus right now is safely clearing the rail cars. Once the crossing is clear, the ministry will assess the road and conduct any necessary repairs as quickly as possible. Bowron Forest Service Road is a viable alternate access route around the impacted area.”

EARILER: A train derailed this morning in Giscome.

School vice-principal Jason Schwartz says it happened at around 9:30 a.m. and as a precaution, the school is evacuating the students to the Willow River Church.

The derailment occurred at the rail crossing near the school though he says none of the 30 students or staff have been injured.School District 57 sent out a release in relation to the train derailment that occurred earlier this morning.

WATCH:

The School District says that parents are being made aware of the derailment and the evacuation of Giscome Elementary, saying that they are able to either pick up their children from Willow River Church or have them transported to Blackburn Elementary for the rest of the day.

No word yet from CN on the derailment, though Schwartz says he was told the cars were carrying propane and coal.

WATCH:

According to YRB, no detour is currently available for residents living on the north side of the Giscome Road rail crossing.

We’ll update this story as soon as more information becomes available.