Safety board says flaw in rail found, but not fixed before 38 cars derailed in B.C.

RICHMOND, B.C. — The Transportation Safety Board says a defect in a railway track was found nine days before 38 Canadian National Railway cars derailed in northern British Columbia but it wasn’t fixed. 

A report released Monday says the problem on the CN main track was identified as needing an urgent fix in May 2021, but a followup track inspection didn’t find the bent spikes or a spreading of the rails on the curve where the cars left the tracks.

All of the cars remained upright and no dangerous goods spilled when the derailment happened June 3 last year. 

The train was heading from Chetwynd to Prince George and both crew members were unhurt.