2 residents of Canada town devastated by train derailment pursue lawsuit against railway

July 16, 2013 at 3:08AM
This aerial photo, workers comb through the debris after a train derailed causing explosions of railway cars carrying crude oil Tuesday, July 9, 2013 in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada on Tuesday July 9, 2013. At least thirteen people were confirmed dead and nearly 40 others were still missing in a catastrophe that raised questions about the safety of transporting oil by rail instead of pipeline.
This aerial photo, workers comb through the debris after a train derailed causing explosions of railway cars carrying crude oil Tuesday, July 9, 2013 in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada on Tuesday July 9, 2013. (Associated Press - Ap/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec — Two residents of a Quebec town devastated after an oil train derailment killed 50 people have registered a motion to file a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. rail company and some of its employees.

One resident is Yannick Gagne, who owned the Musi-Cafe bar where many died in the July 6 disaster.

The other is Guy Ouellet, whose partner was killed.

The defendants include the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic railway, chairman Edward Burkhardt and president Robert Grindrod.

The court documents were filed Monday in Quebec Superior Court.

No financial sum is mentioned.

Yves Bourdon, a member of the railway's board of directors, says he is not in a position to comment.

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