Lawsuit filed against makers of Montreal-area dike that burst, flooding town

MONTREAL – A Montreal-area town says its insurance company is suing the maker of a dike that burst last spring, flooding streets and forcing thousands of residents from their homes.

Officials from Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac said Tuesday legal action has been filed against the firm Gendron Lefebvre, which was responsible for work carried out in 1979.

The dike burst on April 27, 2019, forcing some 6,500 people from their homes without notice.

Related: How much of the Quebec flooding is insurable?

The flooding affected about 50 streets and caused significant property damage in the community located on the shore of Lake of Two Mountains.

In a statement, the city says court documents allege those responsible for the dike made serious mistakes in its conception and construction, which amounted to a hidden defect.

The lawsuit claims a probe carried out on the dike after the flooding revealed the presence of organic matter that could have led to water infiltration and that could not have been detected by regular inspections prior to the event.

Feature image: Workers clean up debris as clean up continues in certain sectors of in Ste-Marthe-sur-la-Lac, Que., Monday, May 6, 2019. A dike broke last week causing widespread flooding and forcing thousands of people to evacuateTHE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz