Railroad CEO heckled in ravaged Quebec town

Lac-Megantic, Quebec (CNN) -- The head of the railway whose runaway train devastated a small Quebec town cast doubt on his engineer's story Wednesday as he arrived to face insults from survivors and harsh questions from reporters.

Edward Burkhardt said the engineer has been suspended without pay and faces a criminal investigation by Canadian authorities.

He said the engineer reported to railroad managers that he set 11 hand brakes on the train cars before they broke away from their engines, but "I think it's questionable whether he did."

"Our general feeling is now that is not true," said Burkhardt,chairman of the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway. The engineer had worked for the MM&A for "many years" and "had a completely clear safety record up until Saturday," Burkhardt said.

And the CEO is blaming his engineer for the mishap...


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world...013773.cms

Quote:The head of a US railway company whose oil-laden train crashed into a Quebec town, exploding and killing at least 15 people, blamed the accident on an employee who he said had failed to properly set the brakes.

Quote:Edward Burkhardt, president and CEO of Rail World Inc., made his comments on Wednesday during his first visit to Lac-Megantic, where some 60 people remain missing following Saturday's fiery crash. He arrived with a police escort and was heckled by angry residents, He said a train engineer has been suspended without pay.

the setting up of a worker for a disaster ::confused::

wait until the real investigators get into it.  we will know if it is the usual corporate cock-up where hey cut back safety to max profits leaving the people exposed.

man this is some kind of development eh.  oh my god!  and when you have such a cargo in such circumstance why aren't there 2 engineers ::confused::