Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway says it is on the site of the fuel train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec to “establish a process for the filing and handling of claims.”

MMA was not immediately available for additional comment on the company's insurance.

According to reports, a runaway 72-car train carrying fuel derailed and exploded July 6 in Lac-Megantic, near the Maine border. The blast destroyed dozens of buildings and has officially killed five people. Another 40 people are missing.

The train was operated by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway, a unit of Chicago's Rail World Inc. that specializes in shipping crude oil by rail. The company owns 500 miles of track serving Canada as well as Maine and Vermont.

Edward A. Burkhardt, Rail World's president, told Reuters he expected the claims would cost “a lot of money”, but that the company's insurer would be able to handle it as “in the 10 years or so we've been in business, this is the only serious derailment we've had.”

The Montreal Gazette reports the city's downtown core was almost completely destroyed by the blast. It housed a mix of commercial and residential units in historic buildings.

In a statement MMA says provincial and federal authorities have taken over the scene to investigate the cause of the accident. The company has not been able to conduct its own investigation.

The company says it “intends to do all it can to address the damages incurred,” and it is “willing to deal one-on-one with residents to address their needs.”

Special Reports /

Railroad Owner On Scene of Fuel Train Explosion to Help Residents with Claims

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