Lac-Megantic: Charges brought in Quebec railway disaster – Update

Three men arrested in the Lac-Megantic train disaster have been freed after being arraigned on 47 charges of criminal negligence causing death.

Thomas Harding, Jean Demaitre and Richard Labrie each had to post $15,000 bail after appearing in a makeshift courtroom in Lac-Megantic this afternoon.

They were then freed on various conditions pending their next court appearance on Sept. 11. They can’t change their address and can’t work in the rail industry unless they have proper supervision.

Harding was the driver of the train that barrelled into downtown Lac-Megantic in the early morning hours of last July 6 before exploding and eventually killing 47 people.

The Crown has identified Labrie as the railway traffic controller and Demaitre as the manager of train operations.

The insolvent Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway faces the same charges.

Agencies/Canadajournal