Town grapples with grief
Lac-Mégantic struggles to comprehend as toll of bodies recovered rises to 28
LAC-MÉGANTIC, Que. More bodies have been recovered from the scene of a train explosion in Lac-Mégantic, bringing the total to 28, police said Friday.
The coroner’s office identified another seven victims, for a total of eight. Only one, 93-year-old Eliane Parenteau, has been named publicly by the authorities.
“The identification of eight people within a week of the accident demonstrates the exceptional effort and resources involved in this investigation,” said Genevieve Guilbault, a spokesperson for the coroner.
The intense heat of the fire, which lasted for more than a day after a train carrying crude oil came off the tracks and exploded early last Saturday, would make identifying bodies more difficult, she had explained earlier this week.
Almost a week after the accident, parts of the scene are still too dangerous for police to work in, Quebec provincial police spokesman Michel Forget said Friday.
Toxic fumes from the train’s crude oil cargo have forced police to move to another part of the scene, Forget said. “We had to slow our research on the ground due to many factors — the air (quality) notably … It was putting our lives in danger, even though our workers have masks.”
Emergency workers were trying to improve air flow into parts of the site to remove lingering fumes, he said.
RCMP officers and police from municipalities across Quebec met with provincial police investigators Friday, offering support and personnel. As well, crime scene technicians from the Montreal and Quebec City police departments were heading to LacMégantic to assist.
The formal grieving process for the dozens lost began as Sainte-Agnes, the town’s church, opened its doors Friday for anyone wanting to pray, lay flowers or reflect on the tragedy. By mid-morning about a dozen people had gathered inside, just a few blocks from the derailment. Hours later, the crowd had grown to about 30, with others wandering the church grounds. Though the building was spared any noticeable damage, it was shuttered for days while police combed the area for signs of the missing and other evidence.
Some paused at the top of the steps to peer down at the crumbled town centre, just visible beyond a heavy construction fence.
“I’m sure people need this — to reflect together, try to comfort each other, try to find something to live for,” said Gaetane Labonte, who lives in the nearby community of Stratford, as she went inside to pray.
Labonte knew two people who were at the Musi-Café when it was destroyed by balls of flame. Only one of them survived, she said.
Church bells will ring 50 times at noon Saturday to honour the dead and missing. A candlelight vigil scheduled for Friday night was cancelled after provincial police said they wouldn’t have the resources to oversee a potentially large crowd.
Most Lac-Mégantic residents have been allowed to return home, and only about 10 per cent of the 2,000 who were evacuated will still be shut out of their houses this weekend.
A team of more than 30 counsellors has arrived in town to help residents cope.