On March 18, at 10:26 a.m., Niagara Regional Police officers responded alongside Port Colborne Fire and Emergency Services and Niagara Emergency Medical Service paramedics for what was reported as a derailed train near Main Street West, approximately 100 meters east of King Street, in Port Colborne.
Upon arrival, it was determined a train with 14 attached train cars was travelling from the Sugarloaf Mill to the Robinhood Mill when the last three hopper-style train cars became dislodged from the track and tipped over. The train engineer was not injured, nor were any members of the public.
The three hopper train cars were carrying Ontario wheat. As a result, a substantial amount of wheat was spilled in a privately owned parking lot. The Ministry of Environment was notified and went to the location of the spill.. It was determined the wheat did not pose any environmental concerns, therefore vacuum trucks were called in and the wheat has since been cleaned up and removed.
There is no indication the train tracks had been tampered with. Police have been in contact with Transport Canada. The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
