Lac-Mégantic rail disaster

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lac-m-gantic-rail-disaster

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of occurrence?July 6, 2013
2. What is the operator?Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA)
3. What happened in the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster?A freight train carrying crude oil rolled away from its parking spot, crashed into the town, and caused huge explosions and a fire that burned the downtown area.
4. Why did the train roll away?The train had too few handbrakes applied and no backup safety system, so it started moving on a steep slope.

Bakken Formation: A significant geological formation in North America containing large reserves of crude oil and natural gas, extracted through hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling.
Handbrakes: Mechanical devices used to secure a stationary train by applying friction to the wheels, preventing unintended movement.
Systemic Deficiency: A flaw or weakness that is present throughout an entire system or organization, rather than being an isolated problem.