September 11, 2017 by The Canadian Press (CPSTF)
SHERBOOKE, Que. – Jury selection is set to begin today in the trial of three men charged in the rail disaster that killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic, Que.
Three ex-railway employees – train driver Thomas Harding, railway traffic controller Richard Labrie and manager of train operations Jean Demaitre – face 47 counts of criminal negligence causing death.
The three men have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Related: Crown seeking to skip preliminary hearing for Lac Megantic train driver: lawyer
The trial is set to last until Dec. 21, and is being held in Sherbrooke, Que.
On July 6, 2013, a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed in the tiny Quebec community and exploded, destroying much of the city’s core and leaving dozens dead.
Related: Settlement reached in Lac Megantic lawsuit to compensate victims
The bankrupt former railway company Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway has also pleaded not guilty to similar charges and will face a separate trial at a later date.
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